Farm BusinessRural Development

IFA President Meets New Minister for Agriculture

IFA President Francie Gorman met the new Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon this morning in the Department of Agriculture in Kildare Street.

“We raised a number of issues including the challenges faced by farmers post Storm Éowyn; the Mercosur trade deal; the retention of the Nitrates derogation; a solution for farmers on peat soils in relation to GAEC 2; overdue tillage payments; the deteriorating situation in relation to TB; and the ACRES Scheme. 

“Obviously, moving from the Minister of State role to full Minister is a step up, but he has the advantage of an understanding of the issues that he’s facing,” he said. 

Minister Heydon attended a meeting with his local IFA branch in Moone in Kildare last night, which was his first public meeting since taking office last week.

“The Programme for Government would appear to signal a re-set of the approach to farming, and we will be engaging with the Government to make sure the policy direction is practical and works for farmers,” he said.

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