Our Land, Our Future: The Early Harvest and the Fight for Fairness

Across the quiet fields of Laois, the hum of machinery has started earlier than ever. For tillage farmer Clive Carter, the harvest is already underway. It is a moment of relief after years of struggle, but it also raises questions about the changing climate and the pressures on Irish farmers.

This year, the harvest began on 8 July, a few days earlier than last year. The stable, dry weather has allowed farmers like Carter to work at a steady pace. “We’ve had a good run of weather, so it’s great to get going at it,” he said. “In broken weather you’re battling to try and get a few tonnes every day, it’s just stop-start and difficult. But when you have a good run like you do now at the minute, it’s easy to get