Things are looking up! On day one at the European Ploughing Championships currently taking place in Athy, County Kildare there was an attendance of 66,000 This figure represents an increase of over 20,000 on day one last year.
The event is very popular with farmers and other agri businesses being europes biggest show in relation to agriculture. Notoriously hard workers its a good sign for the economy when farmers decide to take the day off and socialise.
Farmers attending the festival received confirmation from an early visitor, Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith, that they will receive early payment of their single farm payment from Brussels on October 18th.
The payment, totalling ?600 million, was not due to be paid until December 1st, but Mr Smyth successfully argued that it should be paid early because of the poor weather conditions encountered by Irish farmers late last year and early this year.
