Farms to ‘shut down’ in IFA ‘fight for future of family farming’
Irish Farmers Association.
Following an unanimous decision by the IFA Executive Council this week, IFA President John Bryan has announced that Tuesday, October 9, will be a major Day of Action to ‘Fight for the Future of Family Farming’.
As part of the Day of Action, farmers will be asked to shut down by not allowing produce to leave their farms on the day.
The wider agri and processing sector will be asked to support IFA’s Day of Action to defend the incomes of family farming. A protest in Dublin will highlight the escalating cost/price squeeze on farm incomes, and send a clear message to the Government on the need to defend the full CAP Budget in Europe and retain national funding for income-related farm schemes.
John Bryan called on everybody connected with the agri-food sector to support the Day of Action to drive home the message that the Government and the EU Commission must fully support primary production and rural communities. “The negotiations on the CAP post-2013 are up for decision soon and the EU Budget is under threat. The Irish Government must retain 100% of Ireland’s national envelope from Europe so that the Single Farm Payment and Rural Development measures are maintained.”
Mr Bryan said: “Previous cuts to farm schemes have been totally disproportionate, and are now hitting the lowest income sector of agriculture hard. Farmers are sending a message to Minister Coveney that he cannot cut the schemes any further”. He said farm families are already finding it extremely difficult to cope with the extra costs and taxes imposed on them, which are impacting negatively on incomes and competitiveness in the private productive sector.
He said, “The consequences of the disastrous summer and the escalating input costs has put massive pressure on farm incomes, and the Government have failed totally in its promise to farmers to address the dominance of the retail multiples through effective regulation.”
The IFA President said farming supports 300,000 jobs and €9 billion of exports in the economy. “However, the sector will not be able to reach its growth potential if farm incomes are not defended at home and in Brussels, and unless the retailers are challenged. The future of our rural economy depends on a viable farming sector. The Day of Action on October 9th is an opportunity for all farm families to take a stand and secure their future.”
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Weather for Clonmel
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
