Farm orgs link up to urge Taoiseach to intervene in straw decision

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and the Irish Grain Growers’ Group (IGGG) have issued a joint call for the reversal of a decision to suspend the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) and have urged the Taoiseach to intervene if necessary.

Earlier this week, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue announced his intention to propose the suspension of the Straw Incorporation Measure for this year to the European Commission.

Both Ministers of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon and Pippa Hackett have expressed their dissatisfaction at such a decision and its impact on tillage farmers.

“The two junior ministers in the Department of Agriculture have publicly disassociated themselves from the minister’s solo run,” the IFA and IGGG have said in a joint statement.

“This is unprecedented and demonstrates a total dysfunction within the Department of Agriculture. It flies in the face of commitments in the newly-signed Charter of Farmers’ Rights.”

Decision regarding straw

Many other elected representatives have also called on the agriculture minister to reverse his decision, however speaking to Agriland yesterday, the minister said that everyone was entitled to their views on the matter.

He added that fodder and bedding could face a winter shortage if he didn’t take action now to ensure enough of a supply.

“But as minister I have a responsibility to prepare for the winter ahead and to make sure the sector is in a strong, resilient position,” Minister McConalogue had told Agriland.

“We’ve come out of the longest winter we have experienced in many years; seven months basically where animals were housed and it depleted reserves,” the minister added.

However, farm representatives want urgent action to resolve the matter now.

“The [agriculture] minister has offered to meet us next Tuesday, which in our view is too late,” the IFA and IGGG continued.