The Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) has reiterated its call for greater use of Irish grain in Irish Whiskey.

The group has welcomed the comments from US President Donald Trump over the weekend that he intends to remove a 10% tariff on US imports of Irish Whiskey.

However, the IGGG said that this "highlights the need to strengthen the connection between Irish whiskey and Irish-grown grain".

The group recently made a public submission to the review of the Irish Whiskey Technical File, calling for a greater requirement for Irish-grown grain to be used in Irish Whiskey.

The IGGG said there is already "a clear precedent".

Irish Cream, including products such as Baileys, is required under its technical file to use Irish dairy cream made from milk produced on the island of Ireland.

The IGGG said: "We are simply asking for equal treatment. If the Irish Cream industry can have a requirement for an Irish agricultural ingredient, why should Irish tillage farmers not have the same opportunity in Irish whiskey."

The tillage farmer organisation said that this is particularly important as tillage farmers are operating on extremely tight margins.

"Teagasc figures demonstrate the financial pressures facing the sector, despite the considerable value Irish grain contributes to the food and drink industry," the IGGG said.

"We believe the farmers producing the grain that goes into that industry should have a meaningful and secure place in that success," the IGGG said.

The group said that Fianna Fáil has already indicated support for this, and it called on other political parties to outline where they stand.

"With the National Ploughing Championships taking place in Screggan this week, perhaps they will take the opportunity to make their position clear to Irish tillage farmers," the IGGG said.

"Irish Whiskey is an Irish success story, and we believe more of that story should begin in Irish fields," the group said in a statement.

Whiskey tariffs

The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) has said it "heartily welcomes" the comments from Trump.

Speaking at the Amgen Irish Open golf tournament yesterday (Sunday, September 14) at the Trump International golf course in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, the president said he would remove the 10% tariff on Irish Whiskey.

The decision, according to Trump, followed lobbying from Taoiseach Micheál Martin and golfer - and Amgen Irish Open winner - Shane Lowry.

It is unclear at the moment when Trump's decision will take legal effect.

Reacting to Trump's comments, IWA director Eoin Ó Catháin said: "The IWA heartily welcomes President Donald's Trump's announcement today that the tariff on Irish Whiskey in the USA is to be removed.

"Nothing exemplifies the US-Ireland trade relationship better than Irish Whiskey," Ó Catháin added.