A review of the direction of the agricultural sector and the development of farmer-focused policies are the immediate agricultural priorities of Green Party spokesperson for agriculture, senator Pippa Hackett.
AgriLand asked senator Hackett what the next minister for agriculture should get done for farming in the first 100 days of office.
Objectives
In response, the Offaly senator and general election candidate pointed to the overall production system, stating a need for an overall overhaul:
“In the first 100 days, a new minister for agriculture should begin a systematic review of the direction of Irish agriculture, its agri-food policies, and the mandates of publicly funded agencies such as Teagasc and Bord Bia,” she said.
“This sector needs significant reform, and the ‘business as usual’ approach cannot continue.
Successive industry-led Government policies have resulted in huge profits for big agri-food companies – but at the expense of most of our farmers.
Senator Hackett outlined: “We need farmer-centred policies which will ensure the viability of their family farms into the future.
“We are at the start of a new decade – it’s time to start putting our farmers first,” the senator concluded
Senator Hackett
Elected to the Seanad on November 1 last, senator Hackett previously became the first Green Party councillor to be elected to Offaly County Council in May 2019.
The senator is an organic farmer and is from a beef farming background in Geashill, Co. Offaly.