The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) General Election 2024 manifesto has called on the next government to prioritise the competitiveness of the agriculture sector.
Ireland will go to the polls on Friday, November 29, 2024 to select the 174 TDs for the 34th Dáil.
As part of the election campaign, the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald separately addressed the IFA National Council yesterday (Tuesday, November 12).
New government
The IFA general election manifesto is summarised into the acronym CENTRAL, representing the areas they want the next government to focus on.
The acronym covers: Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); Environment scheme (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES); Nitrate Derogation; Trade deals; Regulation; Additional funding for vulnerable sectors; and Land tax.
The association said that CAP funding has to be “substantially increased and used to support farmers, food production and food security”.
“A separate EU environment fund, in addition to the CAP, must be created to support environmental action on farms.
This fund should include support for farmers with designated land and any actions that may arise from future implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law at national level,” it said.
The IFA said that the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) “has been shambolic and has failed to deliver for farmers”.
The association has called for a full overhaul of ACRES and the introduction a new ‘WholeFarm Environmental Scheme’, similar to Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS), with a minimum payment of €15,000/farm.
Higher payments would be sought for hill farmers and those with designated lands.
The farm organisation said that the next government must ensure that Ireland’s nitrates derogation is retained long-term.
“Over 30 measures have been introduced at farm level since 2020. These must be given time to work.
“Farmers need certainty to justify making ongoing environmental investments on their farms,” it said.
There are approximately 7,000 farms in derogation across all farming enterprises in Ireland.
“While the derogation will have a major direct impact on their incomes, the unseen consequences of losing the derogation in rural Ireland will be substantial,” the association said.
Regulations
The IFA said that the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement has to be opposed by the new government as it “will allow sub-standard imports into the EU”.
“There must be a level playing field on any EU trade deals…We cannot have double standards within the EU market that undermine EU food quality and standards,” it said.
The IFA said that increasing regulation is “turning away potential successors and new entrants” from the farming sector.
“We need stability with no further increase in regulations, including CAP conditionality, such as proposed GAEC 2 restrictions on peatlands.
“There must be proper engagement with farmers to ensure that policy is fair and implementable at farm level, including the government’s proposed land use policy,” it said.
The election manifesto highlights that the most vulnerable sectors are struggling with viability and need extra government supports, including the following:
- Sucklers – €300/cow;
- Sheep – €30/ewe and €40/hill shee);
- Tillage – Tillage Survival Scheme with an annual payment of €250/ha and a Tillage Expansion Scheme with €400/ha paid on land converted into tillage in year 1 with a maintenance payment of €250/ha following in year 2;
- Calf rearing – €100/dairy beef calf;
- Beef sustainability – €100 per dairy and suckling yearling.
The IFA manifesto also states that actively farmed land must be exempt from the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT).
“It is penal, unjust and disproportionate. The proposed solution offered as part of Budget 2025
only provides a temporary respite for impacted farmers.
“We need a permanent solution that excludes actively farmed land. All taxation measures to support farming and earlier land transfer must be maintained and targeted towards genuine farmers,” it said.
On the “complex” issue of generational renewal, the IFA has called for the introduction of a retirement scheme to encourage the transfer of farms, along with “strong support for committed young farmers”.
The manifesto also urges the new government to defer and review the splash plate ban which is due to come into effect from January 1.