Empowering Tillage Sector: €9.5M Funding Transforms Prospects
In a fervent call to action, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is urging the government to allocate the substantial sum of €9.5 million, provided by the EU Commission, towards fortifying the tillage sector.
This move comes in the wake of the commission’s announcement in June of a comprehensive support package, totalling €330 million, extended to 22 EU member states. The aim is to provide vital assistance to farmers grappling with the repercussions of adverse climate conditions, soaring input expenses, and market and trade-related challenges.
Ireland stands as one of the beneficiary member states set to receive this crucial backing through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Kieran McEvoy, Chair of the IFA National Grain Committee, is earnestly beseeching Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to expedite the allocation of this EU agricultural reserve funding to deliver imperative exceptional aid to the tillage sector.
“Our sector has many medium and long-term challenges that are being looked at by the Food Vision Tillage Group, but right now we have a crisis situation on the ground,” asserted McEvoy.
Just last Friday (September 22), the IFA engaged in discussions with Minister for Finance Michael McGrath and Minister for Public Expenditure Pascal Donohoe, as part of the pre-budget process.
“The delegation pointed out that this crisis had significantly worsened since we made our pre-budget submission and this must be addressed in the upcoming budget, or before it if possible,” McEvoy underscored.
“The EU Commission has provisionally allocated Ireland with €9.5 million of funding from the agricultural reserve.
“These funds are earmarked to support sectors impacted by adverse weather, high input costs and market-related issues. The tillage sector is taking a hit by each measure.
“The commission also granted member states the scope to complement agricultural reserve funding with 200% funding from the national exchequer.
“The minister must leverage off this and ensure any exceptional aid is topped up with additional funding in the forthcoming budget,” McEvoy pressed.
The IFA chair went on to caution that without this vital support, there will be an alarming contraction in the tillage area projected for 2024.
Meanwhile, Francie Gorman, a contender for the IFA presidency, echoed this sentiment, asserting that a comprehensive aid package is the need of the hour to stave off an exodus of tillage farmers from the sector.
The farmer from Laois pointed out that consecutive months of inclement weather have wreaked havoc on tillage farmers across Ireland, with some even facing the dire loss of their entire crop.
“Many of the tillage farmers I have met have not witnessed a worse year than this in their lives.
“Rainfalls totals in the past week alone have been two to three times above average, which follows what was the wettest July on record in Ireland,” Gorman lamented.
He further emphasized the imperative for a “complete review of the tillage sector” to secure a sustainable future for these farmers.
“Tillage farmers who grew crops this year will exit the business unless there is an exceptional aid package put in place. Any such scheme to support the sector needs to be tailored in a way that the benefits go directly to tillage farmers,” Gorman insisted.
It is now incumbent upon the authorities to act swiftly and allocate this much-needed funding, safeguarding the future of Ireland’s tillage sector.
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