Farmers should not be penalised with sector specific levies as recommended in a new report from the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, according to Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Agriculture, Claire Kerrane.
The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss published its final report this week with more than 150 recommendations including 17 specific to agriculture.
In the report the Citizens’ Assembly stated that “current state policy on the management of biodiversity on agricultural lands is not sufficient and requires fundamental review and change to support and incentivise farmers and landowners to protect and restore biodiversity”.
The report recommended the introduction of new agriculture levies and charges on agricultural exports as well as on retailers.
Deputy Kerrane said that while it was useful to have the report from the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss it is also “crucial that farmers are part of the next steps” following its publication.
“Farmers are the custodians of the land and they, above anyone, have been the ones protecting it for generations. Their voices must be heard.
“Some of the recommendations in the report require greater scrutiny. I am concerned at the idea of the introduction of a levy on agricultural exports which, to me, is a further charge on farmers, many of whom are struggling with rising costs and in some cases are making little or no profit,” she warned.
Deputy Kerrane said she was also concerned that the report reflected an attitude “of putting it on the farmer, rather than taking farmers along with us”.
“Agriculture is a key driver of economic activity in rural communities especially, penalising farmers with additional levies has a knock-on effect well beyond the farm gate.
“The recommendation to make all biodiversity incentives results-based also needs to be examined closely, some factors like weather are outside of a farmer’s control and can have an impact on results and therefore, income support,” she said.
The Roscommon and Galway TD has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to now engage “extensively with the farming community” on the recommendations contained in the report and “gain their insights, experiences and expertise around biodiversity in rural areas”.