The government has a fundamental “misapprehension” about the role and structure of Ireland’s farming and agri-food sector, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has warned.
According to Pat McCormack, president of ICMSA, the government appears to be set on “pouring resources” into what he described as “niche farming and land stewardship models”.
McCormack added:
“It’s very odd and so far from helping us to become ‘world leaders’, it will end up eroding the leading position Irish farming already occupies.”
Taoiseach praised resilience of farmers and food distribution chain
Earlier this week the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the agri-industry was an absolutely integral part of Ireland’s economy and society.
He highlighted that in 2021, the sector employed 170,400 people, representing 7.1% of the national workforce.
The Taoiseach also praised the resilience shown by farmers and the food distribution chain over the last couple of years and said the agri-food sector can “be agile and responsive”.
But he also cautioned that it was at a cross roads because of the challenges that climate change poses.
The Taoiseach told delegates at an event to highlight Food Vision 2030 – which is a strategy for the sustainable development of the Irish agri-food sector – that the government was determined that Ireland would become a ‘world leader in sustainable food systems’.
But the ICMSA has hit back at this assertion claiming that Ireland is already there.
McCormack said:
“We don’t want to appear to be arrogant or overly sensitive, but it’s a bit galling for farmers to hear that the Irish government wants us to become world leaders in sustainability.
“Ireland is recognised as the most sustainable dairy producer in Europe – if not the world – and fifth most sustainable beef producer in the world.”
He said that government policy and funding should be going towards moving the family farm sector towards lower emissions and a more environmentally friendly basis.
“We are already internationally recognised as being in the front-rank of sustainable farming and food production. What we need to do is stay there.
“That family farm is where the expertise is, where the added value is, where the economic multiplier is, and where the social and rural infrastructure is.”
Instead the ICMSA says the government has failed to recognise this and it fears will end up “eroding the leading position Irish farming already occupies”.
McCormack is concerned that Ireland does not fully understand what it already has in terms of farming and food-production capacity.
The president of ICMSA said there should be more ambition to show how “progressive commercial farming” is compatible with greater sustainability and the transition to lower emissions farming.
He warned:
“The irony is that we’ll end up losing what we already have without ever achieving the organic never-neverland current policy has set as our destination. We’re on course to lose-lose”.