Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Michelle O’Neill has established a taskforce to support farmers affected by the continuing poor weather.

The first Asda/ABP BeefLink steak competition of the 2013 show season was won by a steak from a British Blue sired young bull bred by Larne, Co Antrim-based farmer Robin Arnold.

Top quality milk and first class farm management proved the winning formula for Andrew Chestnutt from Ballymoney, who was named as the winner of the 2013 Dale Farm Excellence Award - picking up the top prize of £750.

National Shooting Week will be held from 25 May until 2 June 2013.

Co Antrim Simmental breeders Gavin Hayes, and sons Kyle, James and Sam, from Upper Ballinderry, Lisburn, scooped the breed’s supreme championship at the multi-breed beef show and sale, hosted by United Auctions at Stirling Agricultural Centre.

The Ulster Unionist Party says it has succeeded in getting its amendment passed during a debate on rural schools.

Justice Minister David Ford has announced that a new Rural Crime Unit will be formed within the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The Dairy Council for Northern Ireland is set to launch a TV advertising campaign called ‘Milk: A Force of Nature,’ which will appeal to NI mums and highlight the wide range of nutrients available in milk.

Fisheries Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA attended the EU Council meeting in Brussels this week at which Ministers reached a final position on key reforms to the Common Fisheries Policy.

Agri-food is a vital and growing part of the Northern Ireland economy, sustaining up to 92,000 people in employment, Ulster Bank’s most senior executive in Northern Ireland emphasised at one of the Balmoral Show’s main events on Thursday.

Details of a letter which had been sent by a farmer called J Bennet at Poyntzpass, Co Down, was read to a members of the committee of the North-East Agricultural Association when they had met at 73 High Street in Belfast, this week in 1868.

DURING this week in 1848 the News Letter published the following agricultural report.

At Ballymena Petty Sessions in May 1860 a farmer from Carnmore in the parish of Dunaghy named Patrick Kennedy appeared on a summons issued on behalf of the Guardians of the Poor of Ballymena Union.

GOLDEN Cow, one of Northern Ireland’s favourite butter brand will be ‘Spreading the Love’ at the Balmoral Show with the help of one of our favourite chefs Jenny Bristow in support of the CLIC Sargent Home from Homes appeal.

NORTHERN Ireland Assembly Committees will again attend this year’s Balmoral Show with the Committees for Agriculture and Rural Development, Regional Development and Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister all represented at the show.

The annual stock-judging competition organised by the NI Branch of the Suffolk Sheep Society will take place later today (Wednesday) at Balmoral Show.

MOORE Biosystems has confirmed that the commissioning of its second anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Northern Ireland is now well underway.

THERE are only a few days left to get entries submitted for the annual Lurgan Show which takes place on Saturday, 1 June.

COUNTY Down-based British Charolais breeder V McDonald, Newry, took the supreme championship at Carlisle at the society’s annual spring show and sale on Saturday 11 May, where a strong commercial demand led to a new centre breed record of 31,000gns and took the average for 93 bulls sold to £5,116.21.

UTV at the Show on Sunday 19 May at 7.15pm on UTV will capture all the news and events at this year’s Balmoral Show from its brand new home at the Maze.