The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has said that sheep farmers are “shocked” by the lack of additional supports for the sector in Budget 2023.
IFA Sheep chair Kevin Comiskey claimed that Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue had failed to back sheep farmers in the government’s financial roadmap.
He said that sheep farming is “one of the most vulnerable sectors in agriculture” but it does not have the financial capacity to absorb the level of input cost increases “which will be with us for the foreseeable future”.
“The €20 million Sheep Improvement Scheme funding in itself is inadequate. Failing to add to it in this week’s budget announcement has left sheep farmers a long way short of the €30/ewe required,” Comiskey said.
“The minister is acutely aware of the challenges facing the sector. Issues such as inputs costs; the collapse in the wool market; and the concerns for the store lamb trade have been brought directly to him throughout the year.
“He has chosen not to address these by failing to provide any direct support for sheep farmers,” the IFA Sheep chair stated.
Comiskey said that the IFA has called for supports for farmers who are finishing lambs this winter since earlier this year, including catch crops.
He said that the need to offset the costs associated with shearing to address the loss of farmgate value in wool have also been raised with the minister.
“The minister cannot turn his back on sheep farmers and must as a matter of urgency provide direct supports for farmers finishing lambs over the coming months to underpin the store trade, which is a key outlet for hill farmers.
“At a time when there’s a strong environmental focus in government policy, it’s astounding there have been no efforts made to maximise the potential of wool as a renewable product with huge potential.”
Comiskey said that farmers must be directly supported for the shearing and presentation of wool to allow this potential be realised.
The IFA Sheep chair said that Minister McConalogue must come forward with plans to support the sector in a way that makes a meaningful difference to income levels of sheep farmers to ensure the economic viability of the sector.