Minister Ignored Suckler and Beef Farmers in Budget

IFA National Livestock Chair Brendan Golden said suckler and beef farmers are not fooled by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue’s re stating of what is already set out in the CAP Strategic plans for the sector in his budget announcements.

Brendan Golden said the additional €28m announced yesterday merely brings supports for suckler farmers in line with what we are currently receiving.

Following yesterday’s announcement suckler and beef farmers are facing into 2023 with no recognition from the Minister of the challenges facing the sector.

He said IFA have clearly and consistently called for direct supports for suckler cows to be built to €300 a cow and €100 rearing and finishing payment for beef farmers.

The Minister has failed to provide these supports and has also failed to recognise the challenges facing winter finishers over the coming months by not providing a targeted payment based on production levels to offset input costs on these farms at our most expensive time in the production cycle.

Brendan Golden said seeking credit for an advance payment of the fodder subsidy scheme will not wash with beef finishers and suckler farmers.

The IFA National Livestock Chair said the Minister’s lack of support in the budget for suckler and beef farmers and the attempts to ram through a climate policy for the sector without any impact assessment of proposed measures or funding commitment is a very worrying direction of travel from a Minister who has talked the talk in support of the sector but has not walked the walk by providing the supports necessary.

Brendan Golden said the Minister for Agriculture must come forward with his proposals for suckler and beef farmers that will offset the production costs faced over the coming months and his longer-term level of direct support to provide for the economic viability of suckler and beef farmers.

The IFA National Livestock Chair said suckler and beef farmers have a positive role to play in the socio economic and environmental ambition of the country but this is been severely hampered by the Ministers failure to provide the direct supports necessary.