The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) has called on the government to deliver an “emergency aid package to safeguard the Irish sheep sector”.
The farming organisation presented a letter detailing the supports it believes are needed for the sheep sector to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue last night (Monday, February 27).
The minister was attending the annual general meeting (AGM) of Donegal INHFA which was held in Letterkenny.
The letter, which came from the INHFA president Vincent Roddy and the association’s two vice-presidents; Pheilim Molloy and Micheal McDonnell, highlighted the significant challenges facing the sheep sector, including the fall in lamb prices coupled with an increase in feed costs and other expenses.
INHFA
The INHFA said that an emergency aid package should include a payment of €35/ewe for primary producers based on the 2022 Sheep Census.
The association said that Brexit is “one of the main risks” for the Irish sheep sector as this is “significantly increasing lamb imports into the UK from New Zealand and other countries”.
The INHFA called on Minister McConalogue to make a case for funding from the €900 million Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) Fund to support the sheep sector.
Speaking at the Donegal INHFA AGM, the association’s vice-president and Donegal native, Phelim Molloy, said:
“The challenges facing our farmers are significant, and the government must take immediate action to safeguard their livelihoods.
“The proposed emergency aid package will help to support our farmers and ensure the sustainability of the Irish sheep sector in the years to come,” he added.
Molloy also said that the government must prioritise the interests of Irish farmers in any trade deals that are negotiated with other countries.
“It is important that we maintain fair competition in our markets to support the Irish sheep sector and the wider agricultural industry,” the INHFA vice-president said.