A milk churn buried almost 40 years ago, containing media reports about Irish farming and agri-food, will be opened at a special ceremony at the RDS this week.

The ‘time capsule’, buried in the 1980s by the Guild of Agricultural Journalists of Ireland (Agri Guild), features print, TV and radio reports that will provide an insight into the major challenges which faced the sector at the time.

Following the opening of the churn tomorrow morning (Thursday, August 28), a panel discussion hosted by chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists in the Republic of Ireland and Agriland editor Stella Meehan will take place.

The panel will feature former journalist and PR consultant Michael Miley and Irish Farmers Monthly publisher David Markey, who will reflect on the churn’s contents and what set the agri-news agenda four decades ago.

Chair Stella Meehan said: “We are very much looking forward to cracking open the lock on the time capsule and taking a trip down memory lane.

"Agricultural reporting has changed so much over the last four decades and given the litany of developments in the interim, it will be interesting to see the kernels that helped to shape where it has evolved to today.”

The time capsule is scheduled to be opened at 11:00a.m.