Speaking from Strasbourg, IFA President Francie Gorman said the EU Commission’s response to the fertiliser crisis still doesn’t address the seriousness of the issue.
“The commitments to address the problem are inadequate and, as the crisis developed, the Commission started 2026 with an own goal by applying CBAM to fertiliser,” Francie Gorman said.
“We are not seeing the urgency that is so badly needed here. The one decision – to revise the Agricultural Reserve to help provide financial support – must be brought forward immediately and with an amount appropriate to the price pressure facing farmers.”
The IFA President was speaking today at a COPA-organised protest over the Commission’s lack of action to date on addressing the escalating fertiliser crisis in Europe.
“The Commission has to suspend CBAM tariffs on fertiliser in the face of such severe global supply chain uncertainty. They also need to step up and support farmers with an appropriate set of financial measures that can bring down prices for farmers,” he added.
“It is essential that when the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon meets with his counterparts in Brussels next week, the severity of price pressure on farmers is recognised. Ministers must direct the Commission to bring forward a substantial increase in the Agricultural Reserve with immediate effect.”
“Unless farmers are offered the appropriate support now, we will be looking at a lower supply of fodder moving into the winter which will damage the situation further. Our tillage sector is also hugely exposed to high fertiliser prices and growers will simply not be in a position to plant winter crops in the autumn if support is not forthcoming,” the IFA President highlighted.
