Rural vote is a powerful one
The extent of the comprehensive IFA submission to political parties goes, in some way, to highlight the challenges that exist for farm families.
Of course food and farming are not the only sectors challenged, however, they do create so much employment in areas where other businesses would not survive.
The added bonus is the majority of the money from this sector is spent locally. The fact that three political leaders made it their business to address the National Council of the IFA on Tuesday, only a matter of days following such a large attendance at an IFA conference in the Curragh, goes to show the value they place in the rural vote.
Worsening
The issues are the same as they were four years ago and, if anything, despite political promises, the issues have gotten worse.
One of the overall aims of the new CAP (started in 2023) was simplification.
The fact that even the single farm payment was divided into BISS, CRISS and Eco schemes highlights the level of increased complexity.
The CAP fund, the additional fund for environmental measures, the regulation and red tape and the proposed derogation loss impact all farmers.
On Thursday (tonight), we host five agri political representatives in a live debate to further highlight the key agri asks ahead of the election. Watch live at farmersjournal.ie.
Tanaiste MIchaeal Martin addressing The IFA Council meeting, 12 November, at the Irish Farmer Centre. \ Claire Nash
End of Kerry deal saga in sight
The long-running Kerry saga that impacts on every Kerry milk supplier and shareholder might be coming closer to the finish line.
The proposal details are just now starting to circulate ahead of a vote in mid-December. See more on pages 30-31.
The fact that both the co-op and Kerry Group have come with a joint proposal should auger well for a positive outcome.
The deal of the buyout and the milk price top-up is one part. However, active milk suppliers will be keeping one eye on how the business is going to pay them a leading milk price into the future.
Converting shares and getting money owed is all good, but the real business for active farmers will be what happens in the 10 years after the buyout.
Dairy sector set to gather in Cork
Next week the dairy industry gathers in Cork for Dairy Day 2024 – Thursday, 21 November. The sector has challenges like no other, but fundamentally it also has a competitiveness and profitability track record like no other Irish agri sector.
Widening the lens to see how dairy farmers in the Netherlands and New Zealand are coping with the global emissions reduction targets will bring an interesting twist to proceedings this year.
The solutions that will allow Irish farmers continue to compete might depend on some of the same solutions that are currently in place elsewhere. How to deal with methane differently from other gases is key to this. See you there.
David Kennedy, head of dairy, Bord Bia; Aidan Brennan, dairy editor, Irish Farmers Journal; Jeanne Kelly, communications director, Ornua; and Mark Keller, interim CEO, National Dairy Council, at the launch of the Irish Farmers Journal’s Dairy Day 2024 event. This must-attend dairy event for dairy farmers takes place in Super Valu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork, on Thursday 21 November from 9am – 5pm. See next week’s paper for more information on tickets. For discussion groups or groups of friends interested in taking part in the pre–Dairy Day tour please register your interest by email dairynews@farmersjournal.ie
Optimism on show for Tillage Day 2024
The potential solutions to a dwindling tillage area discussed at Tillage Day last week, show the optimism and support that the sector has among tillage farmers and the industry, despite coming off the back of a period of very bad planting weather since autumn 2023.
Yes the 2024 harvest survived and even went better than many expected, but again, it highlights the risk farmers take on when they drop the plough or roll the discs and place the seeds in the ground. It seems calendar farming is with us for another while, despite the exceptional weather for the last number of weeks where real time weather and soil data was often comparable to April or May. See reports on p26-27 and p40-41.
Rural vote is a powerful one
The extent of the comprehensive IFA submission to political parties goes, in some way, to highlight the challenges that exist for farm families.
Of course food and farming are not the only sectors challenged, however, they do create so much employment in areas where other businesses would not survive.
The added bonus is the majority of the money from this sector is spent locally. The fact that three political leaders made it their business to address the National Council of the IFA on Tuesday, only a matter of days following such a large attendance at an IFA conference in the Curragh, goes to show the value they place in the rural vote.
Worsening
The issues are the same as they were four years ago and, if anything, despite political promises, the issues have gotten worse.
One of the overall aims of the new CAP (started in 2023) was simplification.
The fact that even the single farm payment was divided into BISS, CRISS and Eco schemes highlights the level of increased complexity.
The CAP fund, the additional fund for environmental measures, the regulation and red tape and the proposed derogation loss impact all farmers.
On Thursday (tonight), we host five agri political representatives in a live debate to further highlight the key agri asks ahead of the election. Watch live at farmersjournal.ie.
Tanaiste MIchaeal Martin addressing The IFA Council meeting, 12 November, at the Irish Farmer Centre. \ Claire Nash
End of Kerry deal saga in sight
The long-running Kerry saga that impacts on every Kerry milk supplier and shareholder might be coming closer to the finish line.
The proposal details are just now starting to circulate ahead of a vote in mid-December. See more on pages 30-31.
The fact that both the co-op and Kerry Group have come with a joint proposal should auger well for a positive outcome.
The deal of the buyout and the milk price top-up is one part. However, active milk suppliers will be keeping one eye on how the business is going to pay them a leading milk price into the future.
Converting shares and getting money owed is all good, but the real business for active farmers will be what happens in the 10 years after the buyout.
Dairy sector set to gather in Cork
Next week the dairy industry gathers in Cork for Dairy Day 2024 – Thursday, 21 November. The sector has challenges like no other, but fundamentally it also has a competitiveness and profitability track record like no other Irish agri sector.
Widening the lens to see how dairy farmers in the Netherlands and New Zealand are coping with the global emissions reduction targets will bring an interesting twist to proceedings this year.
The solutions that will allow Irish farmers continue to compete might depend on some of the same solutions that are currently in place elsewhere. How to deal with methane differently from other gases is key to this. See you there.
David Kennedy, head of dairy, Bord Bia; Aidan Brennan, dairy editor, Irish Farmers Journal; Jeanne Kelly, communications director, Ornua; and Mark Keller, interim CEO, National Dairy Council, at the launch of the Irish Farmers Journal’s Dairy Day 2024 event. This must-attend dairy event for dairy farmers takes place in Super Valu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork, on Thursday 21 November from 9am – 5pm. See next week’s paper for more information on tickets. For discussion groups or groups of friends interested in taking part in the pre–Dairy Day tour please register your interest by email dairynews@farmersjournal.ie
Optimism on show for Tillage Day 2024
The potential solutions to a dwindling tillage area discussed at Tillage Day last week, show the optimism and support that the sector has among tillage farmers and the industry, despite coming off the back of a period of very bad planting weather since autumn 2023.
Yes the 2024 harvest survived and even went better than many expected, but again, it highlights the risk farmers take on when they drop the plough or roll the discs and place the seeds in the ground. It seems calendar farming is with us for another while, despite the exceptional weather for the last number of weeks where real time weather and soil data was often comparable to April or May. See reports on p26-27 and p40-41.
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