The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA’s) ‘Day of Rallies’ is continuing this afternoon (Friday, October 8), with farmers and IFA leaders converging on Roscommon town.
Some 200 to 300 farmers from the west, northwest and and midlands marched from Dr. Hyde Park GAA grounds to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine offices in the town.
They were accompanied by some 20 tractors on the route, which took them by the N61 and N63 roads.
The crowed included local public representatives; various IFA county chairs; current IFA president Tim Cullinan; former association presidents; and grassroots IFA members.
Farmers on the scene told Agriland that they were frustrated at “targeted attacks” on agriculture in terms of climate change.
Cullinan said that the association is willing to take the protest (which uses the slogan “Save Irish Farming”) to Dublin if they feel the need.
On the issue of the ‘carbon budget’ for Ireland, Cullinan told Agriland: “Our understanding, what we’re hearing, is that the budget coming forward is 51% [across the economy]. Our understanding at the moment is that there may be 51% for agriculture as well.
“If that were to happen, it would decimate our sector. That’s why it is critical that we know what is happening there and we need to form a plan around that,” he added.
“Farmers have done a lot already, a lot of measures have been taken on board.”
Cullinan continued: “Government is going to be giving out ceilings to each sector [of the economy], which has the potential to have a massive impact on our sector.”
On the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CSP), Cullinan called on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to “sit down and negotiate a deal around this”.
The IFA president also said that the association was “fully committed to the suckler cow”.
“It’s one thing about the value of the beef and what they produce, but the social aspect as well and money changing hands in the rural community,” he stressed.
“There’s a lot of land in rural Ireland that’s only amenable to producing beef from suckler cows and sheep. We have a duty – and the government has a duty – to protect those areas,” Cullinan concluded.
Roscommon is the second location for the IFA’s rallies today, having started in Cavan town this morning. Rallies are also due to take place in Portlaoise and Cork today.