The three big challenges facing the Farmer’s Alliance

There are many harder and less pleasant jobs in Ireland than setting up a new political party and achieving success, but there aren’t many that are more objectively difficult. The announcement this week from the Farmer’s Alliance that they intend to do just that is exciting in one way, but expectations for them should not be sky high.

A poll published by the Farmer’s Journal this week provided some real encouragement: Three in four farmers surveyed told the Journal that they would consider voting for a new farmer’s party. Now there is one – so, unfortunately, that’s where many people’s expectations for the Farmer’s Alliance will now be set. Including, most likely, their own.