Beef Plan Movement (BPM) has urged Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe to include a €5/t subsidy on lime in Budget 2023, which will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday, September 26).
BPM chairman Eamon Corley commented: “We are proposing a series of measures that address the crisis now present in farming as a result of the war in Ukraine and the climate change measures already enacted by the Irish government.
“The increase in the price of farm inputs has way outstripped the rise in price of farm outputs. It is absolutely critical that the government uses this budget to address this shortfall.”
Where farm inputs are concerned, BPM is proposing a €5/t subsidy on lime. On the issue of fertilisers, the organisation is calling for government to cover the cost of a €100/t rebate on the first 10t of product purchased by farmers.
Beef Plan Movement wants support for Irish produce
BPM wants the government to introduce a scheme, encouraging Irish farmers to purchase home-grown cereals and protein sources.
The envisaged scheme would also cover the cost of on-farm mixing and storage.
BPM is also calling for a 5c reduction in the excise duty on agri-diesel.
Where farm outputs are concerned, the farm lobby group is calling for an increase in the flat rate VAT refund to farmers from 5.5% to 6%.
BPM’s main proposal to tackle the ongoing energy crisis centres on government guaranteeing a minimum buy back price of 15c/kWh for electricity, produced courtesy of farm-based microgeneration schemes.
The organisation also wants to see the introduction of a farm retirement scheme.
“The age profile of farmers is rising and older farmers are in the higher risk category as regards farm accidents,” Corley continued.
“BPM is proposing that a well-funded farmer retirement scheme to be put in place.”
And, finally, BPM wants to see an improvement in the transport service available across all rural areas.
The organisation is proposing that that households along public transport routes that are operating below capacity pay a yearly charge.
The amount of this charge would then be given back to the householder in the form of public transport coupons. These coupons could then be used to pay for the use of the public transport that goes by their door.