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I HAVE BEEN a member of Kerry County Council since 2011. It is an unusual place to be at the best of times, but last Tuesday something changed for the worse with the introduction of levies on new farm buildings.
In my council constituency, which is the biggest in Ireland and covers two and a half peninsulas, Iveragh, Dingle and Beara, there is no doubt that these places and their people are some of the finest in the world. They depend mainly on farming, fishing and tourism.
I want society to understand the difficulties that the people I represent are facing.
Small and barely viable farms
In Kerry the majority of farm holdings would be small and barely viable. Most farm families would have an off-farm income to keep themselves going, as they would not be able to maintain a household otherwise.
I believed, or at least I did until these development levies, that our local authority and its elected officials understood the difficulties farm families face, farming marginal land in between mountains.
The issue at hand here is development levies which are a source of income for local authorities and are, of course, extremely important to maintain services. They are liable to be paid on all new houses, industrial and commercial buildings, wind farms and telecommunications masts. There’s a list as long as my arm, but for the first time levies are required to be paid on new farm buildings.
These farm buildings are required to meet European environmental policy standards and there are grants available to help farm families to bring their buildings up to standard.
Farmers have just come through difficult years
It seems, in my view, to be completely ridiculous that a local authority would now want a cut of that grant for farm buildings that should be exempt from this, and had always been exempt before.
Farmers have managed to come through a few difficult years, the same as everyone else, and they pay income tax, road tax and property tax. They also pay commercial water charges and have been doing so for about 25 years, that is if they were lucky enough to be near a mains water supply.
If you are not one of the lucky ones you would have to drill your own well, pay for it and be delighted if the water is of an adequate standard.
These levies are not the single worst thing to ever happen farm families and they have survived way worse but once they are now introduced, these levies are there forever more.
Other counties
In Cork there are no levies. Limerick has no levies. Clare has an exemption up to 800 square meters. Kerry County Council’s exemption is 250 square meters; this is approximately the size of a 4 bay shed with pins.
Piggeries, for instance, now have to provide extra room for each pig under new EU laws. This means they will have to rebuild all their sheds where they will be liable for these levies and in turn put jobs in rural places in jeopardy.
I thought we understood that most farm families were farming for the love of the land and the way of life. But when you hear some councillors say that myself and my sister Maura are only looking out for big farmers, they obviously have forgotten that Kerry is made up of small holdings, most of which was inherited from their parents and all Kerry farmers want to do is to make a living and hand the farm onto the next generation.
That is of course if they are willing to work for €2 to €3 an hour with no pension scheme or social welfare, along with spending two years or more in agricultural college to qualify for anything. They must also be willing to have another job on top of the farm if they want to survive where they were born and reared.
I wouldn’t give it away for all the gold in China
I own a small farm at the bottom of Mangerton Mountain on a road called the Bog Road, where the people before me sold turf for to make an extra income off the land.
It’s far from the land in the Curragh but I wouldn’t give it away for all the gold in China. It was left to me by my grandfather and I hope to leave it to someone belonging to me some day.
This is how all farmers feel about their land, in spite of every regulations, they continue to look after their farms. They’re custodians of it and wouldn’t harm it in anyway. An Taisce and others should remember that the next time they criticise farmers or put an unfair levy on them.
Farmers should be encouraged to stay at this work and not be slapped with levies on a shed that might never make a return.
Johnny Healy Rae is an Independent Councillor for South and West Kerry.
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I’ll bring out my violin now……….
@Gus Sheridan: A 4 bay shed with pins would be a big investment for a small farmer. All any farmer would have to do is build a shed of 249 sq m this year with a provision to extend on to it next year. After all most farmers get a grant ( tax payer money) to pay for the building & this once off levy is only a small token to pay from the free money they received in the first place. They are the only race that qualify for EU grants.I don’t see Johnny Healey Rae giving back half his salary like Brendan Griffin is doing. Healey Ray’s can’t get enough for themselves & are continuously playing with both sides of the coin .
@Windy Atlantic Way:
Brendan plays the game and want a “royal” visit to please his big business friends in the tourist industry, not a good comparison.
‘The levies should be paid on houses, factories, industrial and commercial buildings….but not on my tax payer funded farm buildings that are my business’
Another one of the ‘let other people pay, sure my people are special and should get everything for nothing’ brigade.
@Vocal Outrage: And he’s not impressed pigs should have space? Greedy fecker. I’ve yet to meet a poor farmer. As for paying tax yea it’s about a third of what everybody pays and we get no grants either. No go away and talk to the land. I’ve no interest in listening to yet another Healey Raes on the make
@Windy Atlantic Way: johnny Healy rae is a councillor , Brendan griffin is a TD on e100,00 salary and on as much in expenses, your comparing chalk and cheese my friend!
@Con Murphy: Brendan doesn’t give his money back. He pays for a teacher in a local primary school. If that’s part of his game, maybe a few more in Dáil Éireann should join in
@Vocal Outrage:
Its not about individual businesses small farmers are a large section of the rural community. Rural areas cannot afford anymore hits as emigration is already destroying our communities as proved by the recent census.This levy has a knock chill effect through local communities and businesses,as will the proposed axing of local Post Offices.
@Joe Turley:
Enjoy your “royal” visit.
@Liam O Connor: he is a councillor yes , but he is in it for his own pocket & families pockets like all the Healy Rae’s . What he makes from the council through their plant hire ( e.g Irish water ) would exceed Brendan griffins salary + expenses trifold . They robbed North Kerry of upgrading roadways etc for years for the benefit of south Kerry but times are changing. Roll on local elections .
The fact that Kerry people elect these guys really does explain why ‘Kerry man’ jokes came about
@Nick Allen: it is self explanatory why the Kerry people elect Healy Rae’s . The Healy Rae’s moan so much that they almost always get what they want for their voters . Isn’t that why you vote for your local politician . Funny he mentions a well , Apparently they are the ones to go to get a grant for boring a well . what people don’t realise is that they rob Peter to pay Paul .
@Windy Atlantic Way:
Personally, I vote for a government and not a local TD but that is probably made easy for me as I live in Dublin and there is less impact from local activities as the population is much greater. But you are right, voting on local issues to elect a government is a problem in Irish politics and is exactly why you get these half wits in government.
@Nick Allen:
I vote for local TDs to stop the depradations of Government!
Farming for most farmers is completely unsustainable. Propped up by EU and Irish government subsidies which the author conveniently fails to mention.
The industry needs a serious overhaul and farmers + government need to figure out a way to fix it, ultimately becoming self sufficient.
@Joseph Bloggs:
It may be true that it is unsustainable to farm a lot of the marginal, poor land in the country but if it’s not farmed, it won’t be maintained. The countryside would look a lot different if the hedgerows were allowed grow in and briars and weeds were allow take over marginal fields
@Joseph Bloggs:
I come from a farming background but I agree most farmers have become dependant on the EU subsidy system. Teasgasc figures say that for most farmers with the exception of dairy, the EU grant accounts for 90 to 110% of before tax income.
Unsustainable.
Many farmers have diversified, farmers markets, tourism and the more recent heavy investment into dairy and good luck to them but the fact is there is far too many farmers in Ireland
New Zealand has broadly similar amount of arable land, similar population and climate and no subsides. It has approximately 40,000 farmers with an average size farm of 270 acres
In Ireland it’s 140,000 with an average of 80 acres. This process has already started, a few decades ago there was 250,000 farmers in Ireland.
It isn’t an easy lifestyle, most farm children are going to college for a better life.
@Tweety McTweeter:
About 10% of Ireland is planted, in Europe the average is closer to 30%.
@P.J. Nolan: hide figures are quite amazing and explain perfectly why there are problems. I’ve no doubt that it’s a terribly hard lifestyle, but putting up with it as it currently stands is not a solution.
@P.J. Nolan: yes it’s nuts. We are supposedly a leading farming nation but when we look at the workings of the industry and it’s output it is shown to be a total mess.
@P.J. Nolan:
These farmers support the food security policy of the E U. They should be treated with some fairness and not driven out of business. Ireland produces the best food in the world and many international businesses depend on this.
@Con Murphy: Ireland certainly produces good food, but the ruse that we are one of the worlds best is a joke. Look at the state of the farming industry, completely loss making.
We certainly have be potential to be the best but that won’t happen without change in the farming industry. And that change won’t take place if Paddy the farmer keeps trying to kid himself that a few acres in a rocky hill in Kerry will give him a livelihood.
@Con Murphy: If we produce the best food in the world, why aren’t other countries banging our door trying to buy our produce?
@Joseph Bloggs:
300 acres in Kildare a livelihood, 30 acres in Kerry is not.
@Tweety McTweeter: you mean nature will take back land that can’t be farmed profitably and within a few years we’ll have a self sustaining eco system.
@P.J. Nolan: and most “farm children” get a generous grant to do So, unlike the children of the PAYE workers who contribute the vast majority of income taxes.
@Con Murphy: Farmers get more than their share. So there’s no point coming on here saying they need fairness. Life isn’t fair especially for the real taxpayers
@An bhearna:
In relation to going to college,
“most “farm children” get a generous grant to do So, unlike the children of the PAYE workers”
Since we are in the business of rural/urban myths let me through out a few more,
“Everyone on the dole are wasters” or “All employees steal from their employers” as a commenter suggested here recently.
If yours is true are the rest true as well?
A higher percentage of ALL self employed people’s children go to college, farmers are no different.
Qualifing for grants, if the vast majority of your income comes in a cheque in the post, how are you supposed to hide that from the revenue?
@George Salter: because we don’t produce enough. Ireland is a net importer of food as the farming economy doesn’t produce enough for our own consumption
@Cicero: In beef, milk ? Really?
@Joseph Bloggs: farming is doomed most food will be imported this can not be stoped as we can not match either scale or price beef from feedlots grain fed on steriods and testosterone in open air by autmomation feeders owned big companys cattle genetic breeds just for this so pigs also rest .most farmers in middle age are going gone in time
@Den Sullivan:
I agree, we will never compete on price with the feedlots we can only market the higher quality, but bottom line that will never sustain the number of farms we have at the moment.
@Joseph Bloggs:
How can the farming industry be loss making when our Agri Multinationals make Billions in profits each year and are world leaders in producing high quality products. Surely some disconnect there.
@George Salter:
Irish multinational agri businesses bring it to them.
@An bhearna:
Dream on, it will be bought up by Banksters and Vulture funds and turned into Genetically modified food ranches. The money men who own this country will turn your green dream to sludge!
@Tweety McTweeter: we should now pay them for maintains their private property?
Sell the farm & do something else then !.. is this a business or a lifestyle
@TheJeff: thought that politics was the family lifestyle business? gombeens and the gobshytes that vote them in.
@TheJeff:
What alternatives are you talking about Jeff. Imagine trying to operate a business in rural Ireland without even phone coverage not to mind broadband. No factories to speak of,part time tourism work a few months of the year. Get real.
@TheJeff:
More a business within a rural community.
Utter tripe. Agriculture is well propped up by EU / govt. Another generation of this family plugging the “poor Irish farmer” myth.
He’s trying to tell us that farmers are living on a wage level of less than a third of the minimum wage?
I know a few farmers and they are pretty flush. Also used to work in motor insurance: plenty of farmers on 2 or 3 euros an hour have no problem changing their audi / merc / ford ranger every few years.
Fair play if they can make money farming but don’t insult our intelligence by trying to convince us that they are only living off a few quite per week.
@Cheeky Bums:
“I know a few farmers” says it all.
@Con Murphy:… No it doesn’t say it all… What do you mean by that?
@Cheeky Bums: truth hurts and no doubt you will get slated but I actually agree with you. I’ve a cousin with his own business semi retired who’s renting land like a mad man for the grants he gets. He’s never grown as much as a spud in his seventy years. His kids have no interest in land in fact two emigrated.
@Mary Murphy:
Lets just go through that comment Mary.
You know one farmers story, what about the other 139,999?
He has his own business, so he is NOT dependant on it, it’s a hobby.
He is renting land like a mad man, personally i don’t see how he could make much money on that but good luck to him.
Finally if he is making a mythical fortune, it seems his children cannot get far enough away from it!
@P.J. Nolan:
“I know someone who rents land”. Ok I’m all ears.
Too many people here focusing on the fact that it was a Healy Rae who wrote this, and not enough on the genuine difficulties facing small farmers. Town and city residents neither understand nor want to understand. Even one of the points he raises here about having to supply your own water at your own expense is a case in point. I regularly raised this point during debates on water charges, but urban dwellers just didn’t want to know.
@Jumperoo:
So you wanted to pay the water charge and also pay for your own supply?
@Jumperoo: if I owned a shop and it was not creating profits after 30 years I’d be considered a moron for trying to run it continuously at a loss.
Why do so many farmers continue to operate in a similar manner?
@Jumperoo: I am from rural Ireland myself and well aware of the issues faced. The Healy Rae’s are willfully ignoring 3 points
1) Farming is already one of the most heavily subsidised industries in Ireland / EU. (I dont disagree with this on principle as it means good food on my plate at cheaper price). So is he saying it needs more subsidies / exemptions??
2) The food industry and by extension agriculture has changed in a huge way. In order to be competitive you need economies of scale. farming tiny farms (by 1st world standards) will not improve this. Every other industry has had to adapt to the modern world. Our romantic vision of the small farmer is simply outdated !
3) The FACT is that farming, if not regulated can and does cause environmental harm from the animals themselves (methane), to the chemicals used (pesticides killing bees and fertiliser run off). Tiny farms that are profitable and do not harm the environment are only possible in high margin eco-farms but cannot produce enough food for the masses. Regulation is necessary to control the environmental impact of farming
In short, the points made by Healy Rae are based on romantic notions rather than hard facts
rant over……….
@Kevin McDonnell: Alot in what you say kevin but changing people to in their 50s and 60s to an entirly new way of doing things is very difficult look at the post offices who are a bit in the same boat. The fear is if we do not defend small farmers and rural post offices there will be no community left in rural Ireland.Just large farms and tourism.
@Con Murphy: Here we go again. I just wondered and am still wondering why there’s not more of a level playing field as regards water for urban and rural dwellers. If we’re entitled to a water supply thanks to the general taxation we pay, as seems to be the case in urban areas, I’m just wondering why rural people who also pay general taxation aren’t entitled to the same. For example, there could be a waiver of fees in group water schemes, or grants/tax allowances if you’ve to maintain your own well, sewage system, etc. As things stand, rural dwellers are discriminated against as regards water, but town and city folk simply refuse to recognise that. They’re all right, Jack.
And to the rest of you: I’m from a farming background myself, but I’m not out to defend all farmers, come what may. I happen to agree there are many small farms that are unsustainable and I welcome the move towards consolidation in many places. It’s what happened the roughly 70 acres we had ourselves, when none of my generation wanted to take it on, and we sold to a large farmer neighbour instead. However, that’s not going to happen overnight, as people who have farmed all their lives and have an attachment to the land that town & city people simply don’t understand are not going to just give it up and look for a different job instead.
Anyway, the main point I wanted to make in my original post is just that too many people are using this as an opportunity to have a cut at the Healy Raes in general, rather than looking at the issues raised. If you ran that shop for 30 years, for example, and managed to get by, but were then faced with new levies/charges on your premises that was going to make it harder to make a living, then you’d be upset about that too.
@Jumperoo: I’ve already explained my point above on farmers so please stop. It’s taxpayers who are cruested in this country not farmers
@Kevin McDonnell: Well said
Oh oh! Typed that last entry from my computer instead of the phone I used earlier, and it came up as another account that I was logged in under for work. Views expressed are mine alone, and are not the views of the company whose name appears there!
@Insuremyholiday.ie: yes but I’d make changes to the shop, stock new items , get creative with the premises or sell it on in order to make it work.
@Con Murphy: The world is littered with examples of people in 60′s and older successfully moving with the times. Age is no barrier to innovation.
Saying that, my point is the very fundamental principle of the small farmer is not sustainable. The farmers do not have to adapt but agglomerate into larger sustainable farms.
This will be a very painful process I am sure as farmers sell farms in their families for generations – but we cannot afford to fund sentimentality that does not work.
Also, for the vast majority, selling the farm would take care of their retirement and then the land can be managed effectively, profitably and sustainably
Note – many young men who are sons of farmers have no interest in taking over the farm as they earn a better living in other professions. SO if the consolidation of small farms into larger ones doesn’t happen with the present generation, it will likely happen with the next.
@Kevin McDonnell:
A lot of this consolidation has already happened leading to the destruction of rural communities. Without people working and living in rural Ireland rural communities will die and we’ll just have prarie’s and plantations. There is no guarantee that sustainable agriculture will take the place of small farms, U.S style factory farms could take over, Monsanto and GM crops etc.
While the plight of farmers is recognised. All self employed are in the same boat.
If you’re paying tax (audited), you should be entitled to the same benefits as PAYE.
@OU812: Varadkar made soundings on that a year back, but I wouldn’t hold out much hope of it becoming a reality. Even if it became a current reality, it would be grossly unfair not to retrospectively include people who have been self employed all their lives.
The Levy will probably be used to prop up the Irish Water Co. like the property tax was, motor tax, VAT etc.
‘Sure, they can barely afford to go to my family’s pub and have a glass of stout then drive home after,’ Healy Rae added.
The plight of the self employed in Ireland, don’t shoot the messenger. His point is essentially correct .
@Joe O’riordan: Nobody is forcing you to be self employed. Nobody is forcing him to stay on his farm.
@Mary Murphy:
Could you suggest some alternatives Mary, part time zero hour contracts in tourism, perhaps!
@Con Murphy: I am guessing you are referring to the specific circumstances of a self employed farmer? We don’t all have the luxury of doing our lifestyle job in the place we want. Central Bank cannot fill the vacancies they have. How about get an education and move to where the jobs are?
You speak about zero hours contract like it’s a bad thing. Coincidentally I own a business in the tourism sector in a country where zero hours are banned. Consequently I have two less staff than I actually need and purposely run the business to make less profit than is possible as I cannot afford the risk of more staff and the fixed cost that entails. The fixed costs would be too much of a drag in the business, so as a direct consequence the government receive less tax and two people are out of a job.
@Joe O’riordan: I’m pretty sure those guys can do; ‘Diversify ‘!!! As others have to., and continue to do.!!!
@Mary Murphy:
Those jobs are obviously not worth taking and the unfortunate applicants would be better off on the dole or can get better jobs in that country. Best of luck to them!
@Mary Murphy: Correction; Consequently there are two less people for you to F over for your own greed. I worked a zero hour contract once and I’ll never work one again. My life fell into limbo I didn’t know if I would have enough hours to meet my basic cost of living week in week out and I couldn’t make any plans because at any time I could receive a call telling me I was to be in work with 12 hours minimum notice.
@Con Murphy: On the contrary. I have no problem filling the jobs and have willing takers in the town, but by offering the jobs with the minimum guaranteed hours I would put a fixed cost in the business that would endanger the future of the business and the other 8 employees. It’s amazing you know so much about the subject, even though you have never run a business in a country with the legislation you want. i guess you would be happy instead to receive the dole pay paid for by the taxes generated by my businesses!
@Darren Tully: Nobody is forcing anyone to take the job. The only way that it is viable is for the job not to have guaranteed hours. The demand for the service is very flexible and very weather dependent. I look at the forecast a few days in advance and staff accordingly but always on the cautious side. consequently I am continuously turning away business, but the risk of paying staff for a days work with zero income is just too much and would endanger the whole business. It would be far better to offer someone the choice to take the job….if they don’t like the terms and conditions they don’t have to take it….but better to have the option for both parties. I guess you think employers should exist for your pleasure and benefit!
I’m self-employed too, and I wasn’t left land by my grandfather. Had to make my way in the world from scratch.
No free land, no hand outs, no grants, and no politicians watching my back.
Is there no end to this mans self delusion.Its always poor me poor us ect ect.I for one am tiring of planet Healy Rea!!!
Fight the Shed Levy. No way we won’t pay, just like the water charge was defeated!
@Con Murphy: perhaps it should be I’d say it’s about time we pay
He’s complaining because the pigs living in the cramped hell on earth concentration camps dotted across Ireland are to be allocated more room, says it all.
@Dave Hogan:
Bit of an O.G alright there Jonny!
The levys will be used to pay the councillors salaries and expenses. Putting a levy on new buildings is crazy.
@Martin Sinnott:
This levy will not just hit the small farmer but also the small contractor and construction worker also.
Maybe they should quit and seek out better employment? I’m not convinced that the taxpayer should subsidise uneconomic employment.
@George Salter:
That means we would have to get rid of the entire govt and their attendant public servants….mmmmmm. Their subsidies come from E U and are spread throughout the local community, this new levy will have a knock on negative effect on local businesses as it will mean less development in the local area. Another attack on small rural communities and this time by the bought and paid for local council.
@Con Murphy: If you think that government is a bad thing, why not move to some country that has none? Somalia, South Sudan and Afghanistan come to mind…
@George Salter:
Just this govt, George. Anti rural, pro big business. They way they are going we will all end up slaves of Denis O Brien.
@Con Murphy: That’s a different debate
The fact is that these small farms ,and the Healy Rae way of life is disappearing and hopefully long with its thinking.
Yeah right sell some of his land it’s worth millions.2 and 3 euros an hour right.
@Derek Moean:
I don’t know how much land he has, a kerry farmers description of his farm as “small” could mean anything from 20 acres to 200 but if we go on the national average of 80 acres , in Kerry depending on quality it would’ve worth between €2,500 and €7,500.
So no it’s not worth millions.
Welcome to self employment land! Except with farmers they get the EU and Government grants & subsidies, better loan rates.
If it is that lowly paid then don’t do it. Sounds like a waste of effort.
They are the Kardashians of this country…
@Goldberg: Without a nice arse…
@George Salter:
Maire is a very good looking woman. Can’t vouche for the lads!
But their land is worth millions. Meh
@Kevin Slater: Millions? Really? And what would it be worth if half the farmers in the country decided to sell up?
These grants are no more than a vehicle for injecting much needed cash into an impoverished rural economy. The first thing a farmer does with any money above what sustains his family is to reintroduce it to the local economy creating more employment and tax revenue. Farmers don’t actually sell their produce as such, they take a price the purchaser feels the market supports,after taking their own margin first. This price has remained approximately the same since the 1970s, in some cases a little more but sometimes less, while costs of inputs rise. The Eu cash input (which is scandalously unfair in its distribution ) is supposed to sustain farming by going someway towards covering the cost of living and making very safely produced food affordable for as much as economically possible of its citizens.
@Craganoir Dairy Farm: Agree 100% that farm subsidies are necessary and beneficial. But at the same time the root cause is that farms are noncompetitive and unsustainable because they are too small.
One 320 acre farm is better than four 80 acre farms in terms of environmental regulation, food quality and cost.
In Ireland we are romantically attached to the small farms when they do not fit today’s realities
We cannot ask the modern world to stop for the sake of the sentimentality of small farmers
They do yeah…
Another Healy-Rae. Just what we need.
Can somebody please gag these deluded and ignorant healy raes. My ears hurt
@Ciaran O Connell:
Maybe you might have a constructive comment to make, otherwise your comment is ignorant.
@Con Murphy: why does it have to be constructive? Like the gibberish that comes out of these lads mouths?
*they* should pay you a living wage!!
Craganoir Dairy Farm : Milk the system
does this family run kerry?are they the equivalent of the royal family down in kerry?
@Frederic Slimane:
No, thats the O Donoghue family, owners of the Council and rulers of the Kingdom now since the 1960s. Also very much established in the professions, Law Politics Accounting Parmacy, Medicine,Education, as well as huge business interests in Tourism.
Healy Raes are seen as the upstarts in our local Game of Thrones.
O Donoghues would be seen as Royal Fianna while the Healy Raes more “Kern” in the Gaelic royal system and are scoffed at as peasant of the peasant by the royal O Donoghues. Attendant familys to the O Donoghue family are the royal O Sheas, kings of west kerry for millenium, O Moriarties of the Lakes who where defeated by the O Donoghues in the early 12th century and have been second to them ever since, lots of intermarriage between these royal houses down through the years also. Recent Mayor of Kerry was O Shea, and in the absence of an O Donoghue candidate they ran an O Moriarty for their seat in Dail Eireann. Jackie Healy Rae could never get a Dail nomination from the Royal Fianna and had to go Independant, which he successfully did. The new Healy Rae dynestty now boasts two TD and two Kerry Co. Councillors and are now pretty firmly entrenched, and should be hard to shift in future elections both Dail and Council.
Ever head of farm assist, a welfare payment for low income farmers, Its means tested so surprisingly few farmers avail of it. farmers income is calculated after the electricity bill, vehicle payments and all deductibles are taking out . I have know farmers that lived miserable lives, you would think they had nothing, only to die and leave vast fortunes to relatives .
Another Healy-Rae!! Is there any end to these guys! They are just out to line their own pocket!
Bull sh!t
Horseshit,Dogshit and Bullshit…..!?
Just Kerry farmers is it?
For f sake farmers get every allowance and levey going.. there are really no poor farmer’s.. when it rains to much they get compensated. When it’s to hot and dry.. they get compensated some more… f off !!!
eking a living out of rocky farms in backwater areas
Depression personified
It’s tea in China Johnny, not gold.
No ones bloody asking them to do it, if a business isnt making money you shut it down, dont expect any sympathy
Well They should sell their assets and start another business.
you’re having a giraffe!
Does these rates go for the
Utter boll ox pull the other one Darby o’gill
have your say