The Irish Farmers Journal spoke to several farmers at Tullamore Show in Blue Ball, Co Offaly on Sunday.
They shared their views on the potential support for a farmers' party.
We also heard their views on the perceived government's disconnect with agriculture, the wet weather, CAP schemes and input costs.
William Bourke, Limerick
“Farmers have been abandoned by our Government, completely. They do nothing for us at the moment. It’s whatever the EU wants, they bow down to it. They do whatever they want.
“It is climate first anyway. We all know the climate is changing, but we’re not the scapegoats. We’re blamed for it all.
Limerick farmer William Bourke with his son Liam.
“Our representative groups aren’t doing what they should be doing. I hate to say it, but I think they need to be a small bit more militant about it. I think we need to get like the French and Dutch. We’re too soft.
“The schemes are too complicated. There’s too much bureaucracy to get into them. You’ve to do too much to stay in them, but by the time you’ve all the things done, you’ve nothing out of them.
“The weather has been fairly atrocious. I’ve second-cut silage still to do. It has been a very wet three or four weeks. Unless I get three or four good days together, I might not get in to it.
"It’s heavy ground. The quality is gone out of it at this stage. It’s bulk now at this stage. I just need it to feed to them.”
Brendan Mulroy, Mayo
A farmers’ party would give those in the farming community who feel they are not being listened to a voice, according to beef farmer Brendan Mulroy from Co Mayo.
“I would nearly run for it if it was set up. I think its’s a brilliant idea. It happened in the Netherlands and it won,” Mulroy said.
Mayo men Darragh and Brendan Mulroy at Tullamore Show on Sunday.
“Farmers need a voice, the farmer is always the last man in line. It has to represent all farmers. From the very, very small man in the west of Ireland to the bigger man in the south and everyone in between. We are all needed.
"Where there was 16 farmers in my village, soon there will only be four. Now, we all have to do our bit for climate change, but we cannot cut back on food production.
“If it keeps going the way it is, there will be less farmers out there in 10 or 15 years’ time. There are too many rules and regulations on farming.”
Jack Williams, Co Meath
Suckler farmer Jack Williams hopes a farmers’ party will be established and get representatives elected.
However, he told the Irish Farmers Journal that he thinks that, as the number of farmers is small relative to that of the urban population, the odds could be stacked against a farmers’ party.
Suckler farmer Jack Williams would consider voting for a farmers' party in the next election.
“I would consider it. I’d need to hear where they are on things in general, not just farming,” he said when asked if he would vote for a farmers’ party.
“I would like to see them succeed, but I don’t think they will. I doubt they will be able to survive; they might for a wee while.
“There would have been some that tried setting up new parties, some tried it, but they never came to much.”
Kevin Mithcell, Galway
“We probably need proper representatives in Government rather than have a farmers’ party. At the moment, there’s nobody representing the farmers properly.
“Silage is late. Growing conditions earlier on in the year were hindered with the hot weather because it’s limestone ground. Then with the rain at the moment, getting silage in is next to impossible.
Galway farmer Kevin Mitchell with his sons Stephen and Danny.
“If I don’t get the next cut in, fodder will be tight, but if I get the next cut in, we’ll be fine.
“Simple things like with the SCEP scheme, you have to be a member of Bord Bia. A lot of farmers weren’t a member of Bord Bia for the BDGP.
"It’s just extra hassle. You’ve more paperwork with Bord Bia say for older farmers. It’s different with younger farmers, they’re more up to date with technology.”
The Irish Farmers Journal spoke to several farmers at Tullamore Show in Blue Ball, Co Offaly on Sunday.
They shared their views on the potential support for a farmers' party.
We also heard their views on the perceived government's disconnect with agriculture, the wet weather, CAP schemes and input costs.
William Bourke, Limerick
“Farmers have been abandoned by our Government, completely. They do nothing for us at the moment. It’s whatever the EU wants, they bow down to it. They do whatever they want.
“It is climate first anyway. We all know the climate is changing, but we’re not the scapegoats. We’re blamed for it all.
Limerick farmer William Bourke with his son Liam.
“Our representative groups aren’t doing what they should be doing. I hate to say it, but I think they need to be a small bit more militant about it. I think we need to get like the French and Dutch. We’re too soft.
“The schemes are too complicated. There’s too much bureaucracy to get into them. You’ve to do too much to stay in them, but by the time you’ve all the things done, you’ve nothing out of them.
“The weather has been fairly atrocious. I’ve second-cut silage still to do. It has been a very wet three or four weeks. Unless I get three or four good days together, I might not get in to it.
"It’s heavy ground. The quality is gone out of it at this stage. It’s bulk now at this stage. I just need it to feed to them.”
Brendan Mulroy, Mayo
A farmers’ party would give those in the farming community who feel they are not being listened to a voice, according to beef farmer Brendan Mulroy from Co Mayo.
“I would nearly run for it if it was set up. I think its’s a brilliant idea. It happened in the Netherlands and it won,” Mulroy said.
Mayo men Darragh and Brendan Mulroy at Tullamore Show on Sunday.
“Farmers need a voice, the farmer is always the last man in line. It has to represent all farmers. From the very, very small man in the west of Ireland to the bigger man in the south and everyone in between. We are all needed.
"Where there was 16 farmers in my village, soon there will only be four. Now, we all have to do our bit for climate change, but we cannot cut back on food production.
“If it keeps going the way it is, there will be less farmers out there in 10 or 15 years’ time. There are too many rules and regulations on farming.”
Jack Williams, Co Meath
Suckler farmer Jack Williams hopes a farmers’ party will be established and get representatives elected.
However, he told the Irish Farmers Journal that he thinks that, as the number of farmers is small relative to that of the urban population, the odds could be stacked against a farmers’ party.
Suckler farmer Jack Williams would consider voting for a farmers' party in the next election.
“I would consider it. I’d need to hear where they are on things in general, not just farming,” he said when asked if he would vote for a farmers’ party.
“I would like to see them succeed, but I don’t think they will. I doubt they will be able to survive; they might for a wee while.
“There would have been some that tried setting up new parties, some tried it, but they never came to much.”
Kevin Mithcell, Galway
“We probably need proper representatives in Government rather than have a farmers’ party. At the moment, there’s nobody representing the farmers properly.
“Silage is late. Growing conditions earlier on in the year were hindered with the hot weather because it’s limestone ground. Then with the rain at the moment, getting silage in is next to impossible.
Galway farmer Kevin Mitchell with his sons Stephen and Danny.
“If I don’t get the next cut in, fodder will be tight, but if I get the next cut in, we’ll be fine.
“Simple things like with the SCEP scheme, you have to be a member of Bord Bia. A lot of farmers weren’t a member of Bord Bia for the BDGP.
"It’s just extra hassle. You’ve more paperwork with Bord Bia say for older farmers. It’s different with younger farmers, they’re more up to date with technology.”
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