Farm Schemes Critical to Income on Drystock Farms

Economics

Commenting on the Teagasc National Farm Survey results for 2010 that were released today (Mon), IFA President John Bryan said, despite the recovery in farm incomes, the average income for farm families was still only €18,000 to reward the labour and capital employed in their business.

John Bryan said the vulnerability of the low-income drystock sector was very stark, particularly given the decline in off-farm employment. “Farm schemes are vital to the income of drystock farmers and the Government must maintain these key supports.”

Mr Bryan said, “The Survey notes that these income figures bring farmers back to where they were in 2008. The increasing price volatility caused by greater exposure to the global market underlines the importance of the Single Farm Payment as a mechanism to underpin primary production. Family farms cannot survive severe ‘boom-bust’ cycles without the certainty provided by the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

He said escalating fuel, feed and fertiliser prices were a real challenge for incomes in the sector for 2011.

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