Govt Must Step Up to the Plate to Support Drystock & Tillage Farmers

IFA President Tim Cullinan said the CAP proposals ratified by the Council of Agriculture Ministers today in Luxembourg will potentially devastate the incomes of a cohort of Irish farmers.

Speaking from Luxembourg, he said that while some of the flexibilities that have been worked into the detailed text on Eco Schemes and redistribution may help to reduce the impact, the reform will still be severe on drystock and tillage farmers who worked hard to build up strong per hectare entitlement values,” he said.

“Now that the deal has been agreed in Europe, the Irish Government needs to step up to the plate to support productive farmers through national co-financing, the €1.5bn commitment on Carbon Tax and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve,” he said.

‘The Government must support productive beef, sheep and tillage farmers,” he said.

“There are three ways his can be done: through national co-financing of the CAP; the roll-out of the €1.5bn committed by the Govt from Carbon Tax receipts; and from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve as our drystock sector will be hit by Brexit also,” he said.

“I was clear with the Minister today that the Government needed to move quickly to bolster confidence in the drystock and tillage sectors,” he said.

“These sectors need more supports, not less. The Minister and the Government need to deliver a serious package for drystock and tillage farmers,” he said.