The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has announced that it will host a meeting on the crisis in the sheep sector in Co. Leitrim later this month.
All sheep farmers are invited to have their say on the current situation, ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara said adding that “we need to plot a way forward so sheep farming can have a future”.
Issues affecting the sheep sector will be addressed on Tuesday, March 21, in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim from 8:00p.m.
Speakers on the evening include:
- Oliver Crowe, C.C Agricultural Consultants – Maximising payments under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP);
- Bord Bia – Market outlook and the promotion of Irish lamb;
- Sean McNamara – ICSA’s campaign for an emergency aid package for sheep farmers and additional funding for the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS).
Sheep sector supports
The ICSA is currently campaigning for a €50 million rescue package for the sheep sector to be funded through the Brexit Reserve Fund (BAR) under which Ireland was allocated a total of €1 billion.
McNamara said no sector is more deserving of assistance from this fund than the sheep sector, and the government needs to do the right thing and access the fund on sheep farmers’ behalf.
The association is also campaigning for an increase of the €12/ewe payment to a more sustainable level of €35 which would include €5 for the correct presentation of wool, McNamara said.
“It must be remembered that sustainability is not just about the environment, it is about people too and their economic sustainability. The two must go hand in hand but all too often all anyone wants to talk to us about is environmental sustainability.
“We are all actively engaging on that front but the economic sustainability of sheep farming also needs to be addressed if there is to be any future for the sector,” he said.
Previously, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar acknowledged the difficulties facing sheep farmers but appeared to rule out using the BAR fund.
He said to use the fund one needs to be able to prove to the European Commission that Brexit is the reason prices are low and input costs are high, which would be “very difficult”.
“Unfortunately, we are finding great difficulty being able to meet the tests to draw down money from that fund,” the Taoiseach said.