Macra has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to intervene in the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group “impasse”.
National president of Macra, John Keane said real negotiations with the minister are needed to reach an agreement on the group’s final report.
Several farm organisations have already expressed concerns in relation to the final report which includes recommendations to cut emissions in the beef and sheep sectors.
Addressing the “obvious unhappiness” among members of the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group, the Macra president said:
“What is needed now is constructive negotiation on the measures. The minister must intervene at this point and engage in real negotiations with those serious about creating a future for farmers in the beef sector.”
Keane said Macra has the same objections with the beef and sheep report as it has with the Food Vision Dairy Group report, these are namely:
- No succession pathways for youth into the sector;
- Measures to reduce production on farm;
- Removing opportunity from the sector;
- Lack of committed funding;
- Unrealistic expectations for uptake of certain measures.
Macra also rejected a number of proposals in the Food Vision Dairy Group’s final report that are similar in affect to measures proposed in the beef and sheep group’s proposals.
The organisation is committed to securing a future for all farmers, particularly those in the beef sector which the majority of our farmers are active in, Keane said.
Highlighting that young farmers are all aware of the changes that are needed on farms, the Macra president said:
“Science and research show that we are the ones who will implement the change that is needed, which will benefit the environment and also the economic performance of our farms.”
Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group
After the group’s final report was debated last week, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) said it looked “increasingly likely” the report will be fully rejected.
Minister McConalogue has also been urged to hold regional meetings on the final report by the Irish Beef and Lamb Association (IBLA), which said the minister should “extend the discussion to all farmers”.
Following the group’s meeting, both the Irish Natura Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) and the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) said they will not sign up to the report as it currently stands.