Minister or Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has acknowledged that Ireland’s tillage sector has lost out under the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The admission was made in response to intense questioning from the Irish Grain Growers’ Group (IGGG) president, Ollie Whyte, at a meeting in Co. Meath last night (Tuesday, June 21).
According to the minister, the tillage sector has been negatively impacted by the fall-out, which has seen Ireland opting for an 85% Pillar I payment convergence rate under the new CAP measures.
In mitigation, he said that two European Union (EU) member states had already reached a 100% convergence level.
“I am totally committed to the Irish tillage sector. I want to see it adequately supported. The scope to expand the industry on a sustainable basis is also immense,” the minister said.
“I want to see all of this potential realised.”
McConalogue pointed to the introduction of the Protein Aid Scheme, the Straw Incorporation Measure and the Tillage Incentive Scheme as examples of the Irish government’s commitment to the crops sector.
The minister spoke at a meeting hosted by the Hoard family, who farm on the outskirts of Bellewstown. Ostensibly, the event was held as a Fianna Fáil rally for farmers in the Meath East constituency.
In reality, the event was attended by large numbers of IGGG members from the Dublin/ Louth/Meath region.
CAP money
Reflecting back on the negotiations that took place in the run-up to the last CAP settlement, McConalogue confirmed that the pressure to cut the overall support budget for farming was immense.
“Ireland fought hard to have a budget agreed that was maintained at previous levels,” McConalogue said of the CAP negotiations.
“But this, in itself, is a cut in real terms. However, this restriction relates to Pillar I payments only; there is scope for individual member states to boost invest national funds into Pillar II schemes.
“With this in mind the Irish government will be doubling its commitment to these measures over the next five years.”
Nitrates
McConalogue confirmed that the out-working of the EU Nitrates Directive is causing friction between Irish farmers within the different agricultural sectors.
He said that Ireland’s retention of its current nitrates derogation should be regarded as a gesture made by the vast majority of EU member states, indicating that only three regions of Europe now ‘enjoy’ this status – Ireland, Denmark and parts of Belgium.
The minister continued: “The mid-term of the Nitrates Directive takes place at the end of this year. And Ireland will be pushing to secure maximum flexibility in this regard.”
But the minister’s words also came with a stark warming, which is this – if Ireland cannot demonstrate a significant improvement in water quality, in tandem with a fall-off in fertiliser nitrogen usage, the possibility of getting the current nitrates derogation extended is very minimal.
Food production and climate
McConalogue believes that Ireland can maintain its current food output levels, while still meeting its climate change obligations.
Driving this process will be a requirement to boost farm efficiency levels. And, according to McConallogue, this is already happening.
“Ireland is starting off from a very strong place in this regard. The carbon footprint associated with the food we produce is already at an internationally low level. And we can build on this for the future,” he said.
“A combination of improved efficiency at farm level and the advent of new technologies will be at the heart of this process.”
During his presentation, the minister said that greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels within Irish agriculture had been falling up to 2011, but have been rising over the subsequent seven years.
“Emission levels plateaued in 2018. There is now an expectation that they are falling once again,” he explained.
McConalogue seemed to attribute the rise in emission levels to the post-quotas increase in Ireland’s dairy cow population. But he rejected any suggestion that the Irish government will be pushing for a mandatory cull of dairy cows.
“Members of the Food Vision Dairy Group, including the farming organisations, have made no secret of their support for a voluntary reduction in cow numbers.
“This approach would form part of an out-goers’ scheme. But government has yet to take any formal view on a matter of this nature.
“In total contrast, the farming organisations have made it clear that they do not want to see any reduction in suckler cows and beef cattle numbers,” he added.
“Government fully accepts this position. I recognise that Ireland’s climate change targets will only be met if there is full buy-in at farmer level.”
The agriculture minister said he recognised that climate change and future international food security are inextricably linked as issues.
“Ireland can play a key role in helping to feed the world into the future. This is why I will not countenance any reduction in our food production levels,” he commented.
“The challenge moving forward is that of producing our food more efficiently.”
McConalogue confirmed that farm incomes must be at such a level, so as to allow farmers make the investments they need to deliver a lower carbon footprint across their businesses.
Tillage
The minister reported initial predictions from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to the effect that the area of crops sown out in 2023 is down 1%, year-on-year.
This follows a 6% increase in the cropping area recorded in 2022, relative to the year previous.
This 2023 cropping projection contradicts the perspective of many tillage professionals, who believe the reduction in the planted area this year is well down on 2022 levels.
McConalogue used the Bellewstown meeting to confirm his commitment to Irish tillage. He said he wants the sector to expand on a sustainable basis.
However, he said he recognised that achieving this objective will be a complex process. It is envisaged that the work of the Food Vision Tillage Group will come forward with recommendations in this context.
However, Minister McConaloge failed to confirm what timescale had been set for the group to complete its work and whether or not he would act comprehensively on the recommendations coming forward.
Two key issues raised from the floor of the meeting were – the growing use of tillage land for solar energy projects, and the inadequacy of the support payments available under the CAP scheme – Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) Tillage.
Regarding the latter point, a number of the attending farmers called for the costings built into Tillage TAMS to be fundamentally reviewed.
The current scheme does not reflect the cost of the equipment and new technologies that professional growers need to drive productivity and improved efficiency within their businesses.