ABSTRACT
The escalating cost of the farm support, combined with general budgetary difficulties, often results in government curtailment of agricultural expenditure and production. Irish farming has shared in the trends and problems but shows additional facets which make the process of agricultural development even more vital, complex and interesting. Agricultural policies in the two parts of Ireland have differed because of contrasting state interests and objectives. The magnitude and persistence of people leaving the labour force has been one of the most striking features of agriculture when compared with other industries. Changes in the amounts of livestock and crops on farms emphasise only part of this growth in agricultural production, hiding the inceases in animal and crop productivity. The expansion in agricultural production has been sustained from an almost constant amount of farm land by a reduced labour force with greatly increased investment.
