Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan and livestock chairperson Brendan Golden have written to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to call for “immediate” support for the suckler and beef sector.
Cullinan and Golden have told Minister Charlie McConalogue that the effects of input price inflation are taking hold on these farms.
Commenting on the IFA’s submission to the minister, Cullinan said that funding is needed now to allow farmers make plans for securing fodder for the coming winter.
“Suckler and beef farmers do not have the financial capacity to absorb the extent of the increase on input prices. There is an urgent need for immediate direct financial supports for these farmers to offset the costs.”
The IFA document sent to the minister makes five main points:
- Securing supply of fertiliser, fuel and feed;
- The use of all agricultural land for food production;
- Direct financial supports to food producers;
- “Guaranteed” support for farmers investing in beef production;
- Protection of food security and valuing food producers.
The association is calling for an inventory of fertiliser and fuel supplies followed by a “full appraisal” of available and projected feed supplies for the remainder of the year.
The IFA is also asking for the removal of restrictions on land use under various schemes so farmers can use all land at their disposal, including traditional hay meadows and low input grasslands in the Green, Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS).
Farmers should be paid supports to offset the input cost rises, based on their level of production, the IFA said, noting that the production costs on suckler and finishing farms are projected to increase by 24% and 30% respectively, exceeding output growth this year.
The IFA wants this funding to include some €18 million clawed back from participants in the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM).
It also reiterated calls for the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) – of which Ireland will receive almost €1 billion for economic sectors most exposed to Brexit – to directly support suckler and beef farmers, particularly in areas that will reduce input demand, such as animal performance and soil fertility.
According to the IFA submission, the “direction of travel” of policy makers at EU and national level “has failed EU consumers and EU farmers”.
It said that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Green Deal and the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy have “further undermined” the ability of Irish and EU farmers to produce food.
The IFA calls on EU and national policy to value the vital role of farmers in providing security of food for the citizens of the EU.
It also calls for suckler farmers to be provided with a payment of €300/cow, and for finishers to be paid €100/animal, in the next CAP.