This spring semester I have had the extraordinary opportunity to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland. There are several differences; including the lack of decent coffee (I’m thinking of you Einsteins), the large amount of tea consumed here and of course driving on the left side of the road.
However, being an agriculturist, I found the biggest difference within agriculture.
Austin O’Neill | Argonaut
After one of my first lectures in my advanced beef class, I learned Irish consumers prefer very lean beef. Being very confused by this change which was so different from the states, I discussed it with some classmates and realized how different agriculture can vary but also how similar it is.
Starting with differences, there is more to list than I can write about in this column. Even so, there are a few stark differences when comparing Idaho and Ireland. They range from farm size, government aid and target goals of the producers.
Typically, farm sizes are very small when compared to Idaho. The largest dairy in Ireland is around 1,000 head, where Idaho dairies can easily be 10 times that number. When looking at the different farm sectors, cow-calf farms are called suckler farms or “sucklers”. However, the difference continues with the size difference. These “suckler” farms, again are much smaller at about thirty head; comprised of mainly Limousine, Hereford, Charolais, Angus, and Simmental breeds. The reason these breeds are used on Irish suckler farms is for their large capacity meat production and due to their ability to a muscling gene defect. This defect is the myostatin gene that can cause up to a 25 percent larger carcass.
When in a steak-house in Idaho, you would expect a thick-cut, marbled, juicy steak that boasts the farm’s hard work that was put into producing such a fine product. In Ireland, that is very different. Consumers are interested in lean beef, creating a demand from producers for beef cattle that have a high lean to fat ratio. In addition, cattle producers are not paid for quality but paid on quantity furthering another difference when compared to Idaho.
Another difference between Idaho and Ireland is the amount of government aid farmers receive. Ireland cattle producers will be given up to 115 percent of their income through government aid. This shows such a large disparity between Idaho and Ireland’s dependence on government aid.
Yet, there are several similarities between Idaho and Ireland farmers. The two largest similarities between Ireland and Idaho are the traceability of end products and the problems that all farmers face.
Having been in both Idaho and Ireland, I have seen the difficulties farmers from both places face. These hardships don’t matter if it is a small family farm to a large, multifaceted farm that has survived generations. The largest problem that these agriculturists face is the distrust from consumers. Every agriculturist knows that is challenging to not only care for the livestock, the natural resources that are used and finally the trust from the consumers that comes from the high quality products that are reared.
However, the traceability of products from farm to fork is how both countries keep that trust from consumers. In Ireland and the European Union, it is known that traceability is phenomenal. However, it is the same in Idaho and the United States. Traceability is not only a result of incredible record keeping practices by agriculturists but also from strict laws put in place by governing agencies.
With these differences and similarities, it is important to realize how important our agriculture industries work to create safe and consumable products that are guaranteed repeatedly. Farmers are working hard to put food on tables across the world.