Cork County Committee of Agriculture Descriptive List

In 1935, the Committee consisted of about 24 County Councillors plus 8 other appointees including Professor C. Boyle, U.C.C, and E. J. Cussed, Secretary of the Farmers Union.

In later years a Chief Agricultural Officer (CAO) with an advisory staff had responsibility for implementing the farm advisory programme in each county. The CAO reported to the County Agricultural Committee at monthly meetings. All staff were employed by the Committees of Agriculture. The cost of the service was split between the County Council and Dept of Agriculture. Staff numbers, qualifications and appointments were all subject to the approval of the Minister of Agriculture. Recruitment and promotions were processed by the Local Appointments Commission up to 2004. The Committee provided scholarships to the Munster Dairy School and Agricultural Institute, Model Farm Road, Cork, where pupils obtained qualifications in fields such as poultry keeping and butter making, qualifications which enabled them to seek employment as county agricultural instructors under the schemes administered by the County Committee. The Committee was also tasked with providing subsidies to agricultural shows held within the county.

In 1977, the objectives of the Committee were described in the minutes as working for better farming, leading to better incomes, and better living standards, for farmers in the county.

1980 saw the establishment of An Chomhairle Oiliúna Talmhaíochta (ACOT) (the Agricultural Training Council) and a reduction in the responsibilities of County Committees of Agriculture. Their new role involved monitoring the work of ACOT at local level, and organising educational and advisory programmes within their counties, programmes which were to be approved by ACOT. In 1988 ACOT was amalgamated with An Foras Talúntais (AFT) (the Agricultural Research Institute, a body established in 1958 to conduct agricultural research). This resulted in the formation of a new organisation, Teagasc, which remains in operation today. The formation of Teagasc saw the disestablishment of Ireland’s County Committees of Agriculture for which there was no longer a role. Teagasc provides advice, education, training and research services to the agriculture and food industry.

Content and Structure

Scope and Content The archives of the Cork County Committee of Agriculture consist of minute books, attendance registers, and financial records.

Registers of attendance at committee meetings, September 1953 –January 1978.

Minute books, recording the proceedings of meetings and decisions made, 1901 to 1980. These records are a valuable source for social and economic history, and the local history of Cork County. The records help to document the impact of various events on Cork’s agricultural industry including the First World War, the establishment of the Irish Free State, the impact of trade agreements, the Economic War, the Second World War and Ireland’s entry into the E.E.C. Financial records, 1902 to 1968. The largest series of financial records are the financial statements of expenditure books (books containing records of the funds spent), comprising of seven volumes, 1902 to 1953. There are six volumes of financial minutes (official records of monetary actions), 1939 - 1950 and two receipt books (books containing a record of money received), 1921-1937. Also found are an Inspector’s Travel Log, 1956 – 1958 and Salary Sheets, 1954 - 1956.