Farming Matters!

Latest Government figures show that another 17,000 jobs were lost in the farming industry during the year ending in June 2003. This makes a total of nearly 85,000 jobs lost since 1997.

If this size of job loss was happening in our towns and cities, no doubt it would make national headlines. Because it is spread over the whole country and affecting in the main, small, rural communities little is known about the immediate or long term effects which it may have.

A number of questions come to mind:-

• What percentage of those affected continue to live in the same community?
• What percentage of those leaving farming look for other work in the same area?
• Are those who retire able to find accommodation in the local area?
• How are the redundant buildings used, if at all? What is the ‘knock on’ effect on local schools, churches and other facilities?

The Addington Fund and RABI are trying to help by providing appropriate accommodation, however their resources are obviously limited. It would be good to know of any surveys done on the lines of the above questions or of anyone who could instigate such a survey. One thing is for sure, the face of the countryside must be affect by such a dramatic fall in employment.

TWB November 2003