THE Irish Farmers’ Association is gearing up for a high profile national show of strength following this year’s budget.
The timing and nature of the event is yet to be confirmed by the IFA.
‘We took a decision at council to give the power to the national officers committee to decide on what course of action and when it would take place, probably in the aftermath of the budget and before the election,’ IFA president Francie Gorman told The Southern Star.
‘It will be something that we’d like to see other rural organisations take part in it as well.’
Last February, the ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign saw Irish farmers come out in force in support of their counterparts across Europe. The campaign took place ahead of European and local elections. ‘The Enough is Enough campaign, and the pre-election campaign, certainly raised the profile, and it touched outside of the rural heart. I believe farmers enjoy a lot of respect and a lot of support from non-farming people around the country.
‘And we don’t want to alienate non-farming people in anything we do. We want to bring people together in this. And I think if we can go in the united fashion, it gives us a greater chance to get delivery for farmers.’
February’s protests saw hundreds of farmers and supporters, and around 160 tractors, gathered in the Clonakilty Showgrounds for the protest at just 12 hours’ notice, with participants coming from as far away as Adrigole and Bantry and across the south west. Farmers in Cork Central also took part in protests in Cork county, with protests in Ballincollig, Ballinhassig, Blarney, Carrigtwohill, Mitchelstown, and even Cork city itself, with a large convoy of tractors travelling down Patrick Street and other main thoroughfares.
@southernstarirl West Cork farmers joined others from around the county in Cork city today in a protest demonstration against what they say is a 'failure of policy towards agriculture'. #westcork #corkcity #ireland #farming #farmers #protest #eu ♬ original sound - The Southern Star
Meanwhile the IFA president said farmers would be taking a cautious approach to the strategic dialogue document launched in Brussels recently.
‘The motivation for the exercise is sound. There have been too many instances in the recent past where farmers were not listened to when regulations were drawn up. The decision to undertake this dialogue is recognition by the commission that their approach has not been the correct one,’ he said.
He said aspects of the dialogue can underpin the discussions around the next CAP. ‘Ursula von der Leyen has acknowledged and supports the strategic importance of agriculture and food production. Building on this will be crucial if we are to see the reset that is needed,’ he said.
Specifically, the IFA president said the EU Commission has to accept that there has to be a twin-track approach: one to support food production and one to enhance climate action.
‘Ultimately, we need to see actions matching the words here. Farmers must be allowed to farm, reducing the red tape and the growing administrative burden they face year on year.
‘We look forward to working with the new EU Commission and the European Parliament in the design of a new CAP that returns to its fundamental ideals of supporting farmers in producing high-quality, world-class food for consumers that also delivers a fair and sufficient income.’
He acknowledged the references to the food chain and the role of the food producer in this. ‘If we don’t have a functioning food chain, then farmers will continue to exit.’
