Dept Document Will Further Erode Farmer Trust in Govt

IFA President Tim Cullinan said that a Department of Agriculture report which appeared in the media this morning will further erode farmer trust in the Government.

“Reports like this only serve to further fuel the view that the Government is working behind the scenes to undermine our dairy and livestock sectors,” he said.

“Farmers should not be finding out about this through the media. It is totally unacceptable and shows contempt for farmers,” he said.

“While there may well be some farmers who wish to exit the sector, we should all be focussing on providing a pathway for the next generation to get into farming,” he said.

“Only 6% of farmers in Ireland are under 35. All this talking down of the sector is driving young people away. It needs to stop.  We need proper engagement on how we get young people into farming rather than the Government running down the sector,” he said.

“Reducing dairy or beef production in Ireland will also lead to ‘carbon leakage’ with production moving to other countries with a higher carbon footprint. This is likely to increase global warming, rather than reducing it,” he said.