Video: Taoiseach notes 'significant' pressures facing farming sector
Taoiseach Micheál Martin told Agriland that succession represents a “huge challenge” and that pressures on farming are “significant”.
Speaking with Agriland editor Stella Meehan at the Ploughing Championships today (September 15), the Taoiseach was asked for on his views on an Agriland survey findings, which showed that one in three farmers are considering leaving the sector in five years.
He said: “I understand the worry, I understand the concern.
“Parallel to that, though, we're exporting €21 billion of food across the world now.
“So the Irish export performance in terms of food has grown and grown. That's because, look, production is becoming more efficient all of the time.”
However, the Taoiseach added that “there’s a lot happening” in the agricultural sector that cannot be ignored.
He said: “The pressures are real now and are significant.
"And on succession and young farmers, there's a huge challenge there.
“People wanting to see secure margins into the future that, you know, you can feed a family, that you can progress."
He said his government has "done a lot in terms of succession", including holding talks with the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).
“But we can always do better, we have to look at it through a number of policy platforms,” he added.
The Taoiseach said that the issue has to be looked at “culturally”.
“We have to look at what makes it sustainable for young people today to farm, to take on a farm and take on for the next generation.
“And there's a lot going on in the world and a lot of other opportunities.
“So we have to make farming, you know, meaningful. We've got to make it sort of worth their while, basically, from an income point of view.”
CAP
Another point of discussion was the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The Taoiseach said: “I think with the new CAP and common agricultural policy, we're looking at less bureaucracy, less regulation in the context of the payments that will emerge in the next seven years of cap payments.”
On the subject of a reduced CAP, the Taoiseach admitted to facing “huge challenges on the European Union budget”.
He added: “Quite a number of countries want to cut the overall budget.
“However, a majority of EU member states want to protect CAP and want to protect cohesion."
He said that “there's a strong consensus around protecting CAP” based on the Irish government’s discussions with member states.
“And by having the (EU) presidency, actually, it gives us a good overview of where everybody is on the key areas and pillars of the budget," the Taoiseach said.
However, he admitted that it will be “very challenging because Germany and other member states” want to “reduce it”.
Finances
According to the Taoiseach, Ireland’s finances put the country in a stronger position than some EU member states.
He said: “We're perhaps in a better position than other member states in terms of our fiscal position. We are running budget surpluses.
“So that gives us some room to try and help out farmers domestically.
“And some of the issues that people are talking about, I would like to see, can we develop mechanisms that can be more sustainable in supporting farmers, rather than one-off measures every year for specific items."
The Taoiseach described haulage as “extremely important” and food production as “critical”.
He added: “So we have to ensure that food production is sustainable. That's why we had a package for farmers and contractors.
“So we get the importance, we get the pressures that are on farmers, around fuel, fodder, and indeed fertilisers as well.”
Agriland has a packed schedule of events taking place at our tent this year, so be sure to drop by at Block 4, Row 10, Stand 184.
