As we face into a recession, Ear to the Ground is back with a fresh, new look at how rural Ireland is changing. Exciting new presenter, Ella McSweeney, who has a keen interest in wildlife and the environment and is already well known to radio listeners, will be bringing a new perspective to the series as she joins seasoned presenters Helen Carroll and Darragh McCullough on the hugely popular farming and rural affairs programme.
Throughout the series Helen, Ella and Darragh will be reporting on the changing face of rural Ireland. Following the construction collapse, numerous young farmers and rural dwellers are leaving the building sites and returning to rural Ireland. Ear to the Ground examines their options. Is emigration an option once again or is there a more viable future in agriculture? CAO points for Agricultural courses jumped way up this summer so does this incredible turnaround reflect a renewed confidence in agriculture amongst the younger generation? And after the government’s massive miscalculation in CO2 emissions will beef farmers take the hit?
From the farmer in Laois who hosts The Electric Picnic music festival every summer to a farmer in Meath who offers commuters a chance to grow their own vegetables, Ear to the Ground will continue to report on innovative farmers who have added something extra to their enterprise.
Programme One: How will Cheaper Food Affect Irish Farmers?
As people take a hard look at how they spend their money, and supermarkets undercut each other as they vie for market share, Ear to the Ground will kick of the new series with an investigation into the effect of cheaper food on the Irish farming industry, and on us the consumer.
Lower prices may spell good news for consumers but will Irish farmers be the real victims? Darragh McCullough reports on a vegetable industry in crisis as Irish producers struggle to compete with imports and supermarkets constantly strive to drive the price down. Do we as consumers care if our food is Irish or is cheap food now the most important consideration?
Farmers’ markets exploded in recent years but were they just a luxury by-product of the Celtic Tiger era? Helen Carroll investigates what impact the recession will have on farmers’ markets and local artisan producers. Will they prove sustainable in the future?
Cheaper food stuffs may be back on our shopping lists but at what risk to our future health? If we choose to buy cheaper foods what are we really getting? Ella McSweeney takes a thorough look at what actually goes into a sausage and finds out if we can really eat cheaply without compromising our health.