IFA Meet Tanaiste & Agriculture Minister on Farming Priorities

IFA met the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris and the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon today to discuss the farming priorities for the medium and long-term.

IFA President Francie Gorman said it was a wide-ranging discussion that focused on key issues that confront farmers at the moment.

“In terms of immediacy, the retention of the Nitrates derogation, the danger of a Mercosur deal and challenges for the tillage sector were to the forefront of our interaction along with excessive regulation and the cost of doing business. We emphasised the relentless focus of the farming community in improving water quality and what is needed from the Government to secure an extension of the derogation,” he said.

Francie Gorman said there are two trade issues that the Tánaiste has to dedicate his resources towards: opposition to the Mercosur deal and the tariff issue, particularly for the tillage sector.

“We have identified support for the tillage sector as crucial for its future. The uncertainty around what US tariff rate will apply to our whiskey exports is very unhelpful given the very difficult conditions our tillage farmers are dealing with.”

The IFA President said farmers will expect the Government to make good its commitment to oppose the Mercosur trade deal. “We impressed on the Tánaiste and Minister Heydon that a sustained diplomatic effort is needed to find the numbers to oppose the deal. There is no upside in the proposed deal from a farming perspective and our Government has to be in the vanguard of opposition to it,” he said.

“The CAP proposals will have to be re-worked in a way that supports farmers on the frontline. Food security will have to be underpinned by an increased budget that rewards those who are producing food,” he said.

IFA raised the TB proposals that are overdue. “We made a substantial submission earlier this year which addressed the issues that farmers had with the TB programme. When the Minister brings forward his plan, he will have to recognise these if he wants buy in from farmers. TB has taken a huge toll on those farmers who have been impacted by a breakdown and this has to be considered,” he concluded.