A recent story in the Irish Independent entitled "Farmers are sexy again" caught the eye of one of my colleagues - 'Irish Independent 20/12/2011'.
This article highlights that agriculture is on the up, and with it the fortunes of young farmers on the Irish social scene.
According to Macra Na Feirme President Alan Jagoe, "Seven or eight years ago, if someone asked you in a nightclub what you did for a living, they would run a mile if you said you were a farmer. That's all changed - now they would nearly queue up for a farmer".
With the improved fortunes of agriculture - farm incomes in ROI up 60% on two years ago and farmgate sales topping €6bn in 2011 for the first time - farming is back in fashion and young people are proud to be farmers once again.
I thought it's strange how fortunes change - but perhaps not, as some of us have always believed in farming and the value of farmers - both economically and socially.