Solicitor and farmer Aisling Meehan has funded a series of pro-farming advertising hoardings out of her own pocket in a bid to turn what she sees as a growing tide of anti-farming messages.
Aisling’s eye-catching posters are dotted around the country and have attracted widespread support, she says.
The posters depict suckling calves and dairy herds with humorous taglines and a pro-farming message.
Aisling has been overwhelmed by the supportive response to the campaign with many farmers offering to host the posters for free on their lands.
Great reaction
“I’ve got a great reaction, and great support,” she says. She decided to fund the posters, to the tune of €7,500, to counter negativity about the agricultural sector.
“I have many, many friends who are vegan and we have respectful conversations about our differing opinions.
“But I do feel the media conversation is sometimes hijacked by the extremist element. So I decided to put out a pro-farming message with these posters,” Aisling explains.
An application has been submitted for funding for the campaign to the Golden Jubilee Trust. There are also plant to form a co-op comprising of farmers who are good communicators to progress the campaign.
Close to nature
Farmers must work closely with nature in order to do their work, Aisling says, and she believes the green lobby should see farmers as their natural allies.
Meehan runs her own specialist agricultural law practice dealing with the problems farmers face every day. She is a qualified solicitor, tax consultant and runs a working farm in Newmarket-on-Fergus in Co Clare.
Her hands-on experience in rural and agricultural matters was gleaned from her upbringing on a dairy farm, and her training in the tax department at William Fry.