Local Businesses

UUP hails victory on rural schools amendment

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

Agri-food potential highlighted at flagship Balmoral Show event

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.

Farmer urges free passage on railway line

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.

Justice Minister announces creation of Rural Crime Unit

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

Ad captures the power of milk

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.

Agreement on CFP package welcomed

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.

Golden Cow ‘spreads the love’

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.

Committees to focus on direct engagement

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.

Suffolk stockjudging competition at Balmoral

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

Second AD plant nears completion

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

Closing date looms for Lurgan Show entries

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

Northern Irish-bred bull supreme champion

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 heads to the Balmoral show

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.

O’Neill meets with EU Presidency

AGRICULTURE Minister Michelle O’Neill has met in Dublin with her southern counterpart, Minister Simon Coveney TD, and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Beef Expo 2013 to be bumper celebration of British beef farming

This year’s Beef Expo 2013, organised by the National Beef Association, is set to be a major celebration of British beef farming highlighting the many opportunities which exist for farmers to improve and re-invigorate their beef enterprises.

‘Not spots’ to receive improved mobile communication coverage by 2015

The government has just announced that Arqiva has won the £150 million contract to improve mobile coverage in “not spots” across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A special treat for the first person at Balmoral Show

Balmoral Show opened today, Wednesday 15th May at its new home, Balmoral Park. The first person through when the doors opened for this event is Shirley Dawson from Banbridge. She has taken home, not only the knowledge that they were the first customers at Balmoral Park but also a wonderful Topflight holiday.

Byrne set for Balmoral meet and greet

SDLP West Tyrone MLA and Agricultural spokesperson Joe Byrne has said he is delighted to be attending the Balmoral show in its new home Balmoral Park this week.

Net-Tex Colate support 2013 Shearing Circuit

THE Northern Ireland Sheep Shearers Association (NISSA) are making the final preparations for this year’s annual sheep shearing circuit.

Minister urged to assist farmers with no SFP

SOUTH Down MP Margaret Ritchie has called on the DARD Minister, Michelle O’Neill to assist farmers with no SFP entitlements.

McDonald confident Balmoral will be ‘a
resounding success’

BALMORAL Show will be ‘a resounding success!’

Erin Rose helps moths say ‘For you with love’

The Sperrins Gateway Landscape Partnership is proud to announce the winners of their Spring in the Sperrins Schools Competition.

Beef farmers: three weeks to produce quality silage

THE period from mid May to the middle of June traditionally marks the first cut silage-making season on local livestock farms.

Help needed to develop replacement rearing model

PHD scientist Alana Boulton from the Royal Veterinary College is looking for 100 farmers to help her to assess the technical and economic costs of heifer rearing in the UK, in her DairyCo funded research project.

Internal parasites can reduce calf growth rate by up to 50%

ACCORDING to Teagasc beef specialist Liam Fitzgerald stomach worms and lungworms (hoose) are the two main parasites of calves at grass. Both are favoured by warm humid conditions. The weather predicted for the coming days may well fit this pattern

Lisburn celebrates its magnificent man and his flying machine

A REPLICA of the Harry Ferguson 1909 replica plane has been unveiled on the A1 dual carriageway just outside of Hillsborough.

5,700gns Loosebeare top price at Brecon Limousin May sale

LOOSEBEARE Golddust from Messrs EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon, made 5,700gns and topped the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May Bull Sale held at Brecon Livestock Market with McCartneys on Saturday 11th May 2013.

Holywood open garden

OPEN gardens offer a rare opportunity to explore the secrets of hidden and private gardens not usually open to the public and the Ulster Gardens Scheme has a spectacular array of gardens waiting to be enjoyed this summer.

Advice issued on tagging and sample submission

WHEN you receive your order of tissue sample tags for the BVD programme you will get with it a detailed programme information leaflet, advice on inserting the tags and pre-addressed packaging for sending the samples to the testing laboratory.

Dobson slams DARD ‘shambles’

UUP Agriculture spokesperson Jo-Anne Dobson MLA has branded DARD’s handling of the severe weather payments as ‘a complete shambles.’

Guild of Fine Food moves to new headquarters

The Guild of Fine Food, established in 1995 and organisers of the Great Taste Awards and the World Cheese Awards has moved to a new headquarters in Gillingham, Dorset.

Herefordshire producer celebrates Texel survey win

Commercial and pedigree sheep farmer Ed Samuel of St Weonards, Herefordshire, is celebrating after winning a new Ritchie lamb weighing crate in a prize draw run by the Texel Sheep Society in 2012.

Jobs boost for Tyrone meat plant

LINDEN Foods in Dungannon have announced that they will be investing £5 million to grow its business in the province.

Vintage vehicles star at Ballymoney video

Ballymoney Old Vehicle Club held its annual fun day at the Ballymoney Showgrounds.

Balmoral Show has something for everyone

IT’S the time of year again though the weather doesn’t feel like it for Balmoral Show.

Praise for school’s drive to connect pupils with land

MARKETHILL High School is introducing a GCSE which will connect pupils with the land and encourage them to learn about the agriculture sector in Northern Ireland.

Plans unveiled for NSA Sheep Event 2013

PLANS are now well advanced for Sheep NI 2013, the biannual sheep event organised by the Northern Ireland regional committee of the National Sheep Association in Ballymena Livestock Mart on Monday 1st July.

Higher milk prices are on the horizon

UNITED Dairy Farmers’ chief executive, David Dobbin, has told Farming Life that the best antidote to the extreme difficulties currently faced by local dairy farmers is a prolonged period of higher milk prices.

Report warns of crops suffering from a lack of rain

REPORTS from across the province of Ulster had been received by the News Letter during this week in 1840 for the month of April.

Places available on CAFRE sheep shearing courses

Learning to shear sheep properly is a valuable and potentially profitable traditional skill. CAFRE in conjunction with the British Wool Marketing Board will be running a series of shearing courses across Northern Ireland in May and June.

Conservation crisis facing Pine Marten

A RECENT conservation study in the Mourne Mountains focussing on the pine marten, one of the rarest wildlife species in Northern Ireland, has found that the species may be facing extinction in the Mournes.

Crowds throng to half-yearly fair at Strabane

IT was reported by the News Letter this week in 1892 that the half-yearly fair had been held in Strabane.

Debate on the protection of Lough Neagh

ON Saturday, May 4 1872 at twelve o’clock a public meeting of a committee appointed at the last half-yearly meeting of the Board of Conservators for the district of Coleraine was held in the Court House, Toomebridge, Co Londonderry, for the purpose of “considering the best means to be adopted for protecting and preserving the fisheries” of Lough Neagh, the River Bann and their tributaries, reported the News Letter during this week in 1872.

Niche Drinks say it’s Whiskey Galore

IT’S a case of Whiskey Galore for Derry as local drinks manufacturer Niche Drinks, was this week granted planning permission by Derry City Council for a new build cream liqueur factory and Irish Whiskey distillery at Campsie on the outskirts of the city.

Charolais the ultimate breed of choice on Florencecourt farm

THE Northern Ireland Charolais Club are holding their final spring sale in Dungannon Farmers Mart on Monday 27th May with the show at 10.30am and sale at 1pm sharp sponsored by Irwin’s Feed, Stilloga Mills, Eglish, Dungannon.

Excellent attendance at UGS Spring visit

THERE was a tremendous turnout for farmers from across Northern Ireland for this week’s UGS Spring Meeting, hosted by Roy Harpur and sons David and Robert.

Ai Services launches Beef Sires Catalogue 2013 -14

AI Services (Northern Ireland) Ltd has launched its Beef Sires 2013-14 catalogue at a time of a growing demand for beef semen.

Promising Blonde bull

CAFRE students take lamb taste test at Greenmount

STUDENTS undertaking the Red Meat enterprise management option as part of either final year Higher National Diploma or first year Foundation Degree in Agriculture and Rural Studies undertake lambing experience and learn a range of sheep management skills.

Moy Park opens its doors to students

MOY Park’s Craigavon site has thrown open its doors to offer a guided tour to 18 students who are studying for a BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science at Southern Regional College (SRC), Armagh.