The majority of farmers here support farmer-led protests such as those seen across Europe in recent weeks and months.
Agriland conducted an ad hoc 24-hour poll of our audience, which closed at 5:00p.m yesterday (Wednesday, January 31) to gauge the sentiment regarding the most recent protests in Germany, France and Belgium.
During that time more than 3,000 (3,163) respondents participated in the survey with 97% indicating their support for such action.
Agriland survey
We asked our audience three simple questions to get a barometer of the mood music among the farming community in Ireland.
- Do you support farmer-led protests across Europe to highlight key agricultural issues?
- Do you believe that farmer-led protests can help to change government policy?
- Do you believe that farmer-led protests would be effective in Ireland?
Those participating in the survey were also afforded the opportunity to provide additional comments in a specified comment box.
The majority of the respondents to the survey answered ‘Yes‘ to all three of the questions listed above.
97% of those surveyed said they do support the farmer-led protests across Europe, while 3% said they do not.
95% believe that such protests can change government policy, but 5% disagreed.
In terms of such farmer-led protests being effective in Ireland, 88% of those surveyed said they believe such protests would be effective here, but 12% felt they would not be effective in Ireland.
While most people said they support the farmer-led protests, some respondents did not agree that such protests would lead to a change in government policy.
Some of the additional comments from the farming sector included one respondent who said: “If everyone stuck together it would work here. It’s a disgrace the profits that are being made by supermarkets and factories and multinationals are making off the backs of farmers. Farmers always get the raw end of the stick, yet do the majority of the work.”
Another submission to the Agriland survey stated: “I have two sons farming with me; the way rules and regulations are coming at us (farmers) I’m not sure I would encourage the next generation to go farming.”
Another still, wrote: “It’s time to take action and stop being walked over all the time.”
One commenter said they do not believe protest here would have any effect: “Protests probably would help on the short-term, but eventually with time, government and EU will push through on their policies regardless of what farmers do unfortunately.”
Frustration
Over one quarter of respondents to the survey provided additional comments, demonstrating the level of frustration and anger within the agricultural sector.
Another response stated: “Like our European counterparts we are tired of treadmill of rules and regulations coming from EU and adding to our costs.
“Then the same EU and DAFM [Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine] say to the Brazilians etc., send on your GMO [genetically modified organism] maize and soya. Don’t worry about it being GMO or rainforests destruction association, or the common usage of EU banned chemicals or the carbon footprint 20 times that of native.
“No regulations, no traceability and health and safety etc. DAFM and Bord Bia and Teagasc all cover this up. Over 4.5 million ton enters our food chain each year and not a label, advertisement or promotion makes our consumers aware of this fact.”
Other people who responded to the survey questioned why those who produce food to sustain humanity are vilified.
“For too long now farmers have been paid with the scraps from the tables of milk processors, factories and grain merchants. All the while being charged a ridiculous amount of money for feed, fertiliser and seed etc.,” another respondent stated.
“We struggle to keep our heads above water and keep going while they pocket hundreds of millions of euro of our money. It beggers belief how they get away with it.
“We are the most important industry in the world, if food isn’t produced we’ll all starve and yet we’re made fools of and told be happy with the bad price we get; we [get] paid just enough to keep going but now enough to make a profit.”
Another survey respondent wrote: “If agriculture was to shut down and all the other businesses directly reliant on agriculture, the country would stop.”
Future in farming
Many of the comments within the survey reference people’s dismay at farming and agriculture as a career, one which many people said they could not encourage their children into.
“It’s getting to the stage where I would not encourage any of my children to, hopefully, carry on dairy farming, when I retire. I am the fourth generation, farming 90 dairy cows; went from 54ac to 140ac, farming was always said to be a good way of life,” one farmer said.
“It has got harder, so much paperwork and red tape, it’s disheartening.”
One tillage farmer wrote: “We are being led under a bus by the government policy and red tape, it’s never [been] more clear that in the history of governments in Ireland and Europe that they could not care about the farmers.
“We do not have any control over our future and I worry about our future as tillage farmers.”
Another farmer from the tillage sector commented: “As a tillage farmer having to compete with imported grain from outside EU with an environmental footprint many times greater than ours is a crazy situation.”
There were hundreds more similar comments from those who participated in the Agriland survey which we don’t have the space to publish them all, but one comment summed up the sentiment of many farmers:
“Enough is enough. Farmers need sustainable margins. No point in ensuring farmers have to deal with loads environmental issues while EU letting agriculture from outside Europe come in with no regard for environment.”
Many of those who commented also criticised the prices being paid to suppliers and said that such prices were not a way to sustain the industry and ensure it has a viable future.
“Irish farmers need to follow the French, Dutch and German farmers in protest. However every farmer and every sector needs to be 100% behind it,” one comment stated.
“A half-a*sed protest is no good and just looks bad. Farmers also need to be prepared to stick it out until their demands are met or there is recognition and action by the government and the department of agriculture.”
Solidarity with farmer-led protests
Thousands of farmers are expected to attend rallies in solidarity with their European counterparts in various parts of Ireland this evening (Thursday, February 1).
The president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) , Francie Gorman, said farmers in Ireland have been watching the protests across Europe and want to show support for their European counterparts.
Gorman did not describe the planned show of solidarity as a protest but acknowledged that there is “mounting frustration” among Irish farmers about the impact of EU policy.
The shows of solidarity are being organised in most counties organised by IFA and tractor convoys will be visible in many main towns and cities throughout the evening.
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