President Michael D Higgins has said today (Tuesday, September 17) that in order for farming as a way of life to be sustainable in practice, it will require “security” of a “better” range of supports.
President Higgins spoke at the opening event of the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois.
The ploughing championships, which will run until Thursday, September 19, is expected to attract tens of thousands of spectators.
President Higgins said that the National Ploughing Championships acts as “the national stage for showcasing all things agricultural”.
Speaking at the launch, the president applauded the efforts of farmers who are “proving that it is possible to balance the needs of production with the need to protect the environment”.
“There is a deep wisdom among farmers, a wisdom that comes from their close connection to the land. Those who work the soil understand the delicate balance that must be maintained between human activity and the natural world,” President Higgins said.
However, he added that farming needs “better socially designed supports” and “better social protection”.
President Higgins
“To truly harness our potential, we must recognise the potential of rural Ireland in our strategies for sustainability.
“It is imperative that we continue investing in rural areas by retaining and enhancing services and by developing new facilities, infrastructure and public amenities to make rural living ever more appealing,” President Higgins said.
“Research indicates that this can be best achieved with appropriate regional policies and sufficient supports for farm families.
“Our farming communities, our farming families, have demonstrated the truth of this time and again throughout our history, and I know they will continue to do so in the future,” President Higgins added.
He said that farming in the country is “more than mere production”, but “a space of life” that “must be cherished and protected.