“Farmers need a standard of living on a par with other sectors of society”, IFA president Tim Cullinan told European Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski.

The IFA president highlighted the rising cost of fertiliser feed and fuel, and criticised “the drift away from supporting food production”, adding it “could not be taken for granted”.

On trade, Cullinan observed that the Mercusor deal has been put on ice, “but it is time to put it in the bin.” Highlighting the threat that Brexit still poses for Irish farmers, he said: “We cannot give access to the Single Market to countries that don’t operate to the same standards.”

Cullinan said farmers can play a huge part in enacting the EU’s RePower renewable energy plan, but that it must be funded, not from the CAP, but new money.