A new compensation scheme is needed for cattle farmers to assist them with the losses they’ve experienced since May, Fianna Fáil’s agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue has said.
He told the Irish Farmers Journal at Ploughing 2019 that the proposal of a compensation scheme will be part of private members motion put forward by the party on Wednesday in the Dáil.
Listen to "Fianna Fáil calls for beef farmer compensation scheme" on Spreaker.
“The motion we’ve brought forward contains a lot of the issues, a good part of which would have been addressed in the agreement at the weekend such as the need for more price transparency.
“Obviously it was submitted before the agreement at the weekend, but a couple of other issues which it does address – and I think we need to see the Minister for Agriculture act on – is firstly the need for a new compensation scheme to assist farmers with the losses they’ve experienced since May past.
“We had the Beef Emergency Aid Measure which was announced and covers the reference period of last September to this May, but prices since May have been lower again since that reference period.
“On that same basis, we now need a scheme to assist farmers with the losses they’ve experienced over that period of time," he said.
McConalogue said that the scheme has to apply up to now.
“The European Commission accepted that the principle that Irish prices are very depressed and accepted it in facilitating the scheme being approved and €50m of the funds came from Brussels and €50m from the national Exchequer.
“So on that same basis, they must accept now that there needs to be a follow-on scheme to cover the recent period up to now,” he said.
Live exports
McConalogue also said that Fianna Fáil wants to see more action on the facilitation of live exports.
“It would make a massive difference to demand and competition around the mart rings.
“Even if we go back to the start of this year in relation to the calf trade and through the continent and through Cherbourg, the Government really were hands-off, it wasn’t maximised the way it needs to be.
"Preparations need to be done for that next year, but also need to see more incentives now to encourage the live trade over the next couple of months as well,” he said.
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A new compensation scheme is needed for cattle farmers to assist them with the losses they’ve experienced since May, Fianna Fáil’s agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue has said.
He told the Irish Farmers Journal at Ploughing 2019 that the proposal of a compensation scheme will be part of private members motion put forward by the party on Wednesday in the Dáil.
Listen to "Fianna Fáil calls for beef farmer compensation scheme" on Spreaker.
“The motion we’ve brought forward contains a lot of the issues, a good part of which would have been addressed in the agreement at the weekend such as the need for more price transparency.
“Obviously it was submitted before the agreement at the weekend, but a couple of other issues which it does address – and I think we need to see the Minister for Agriculture act on – is firstly the need for a new compensation scheme to assist farmers with the losses they’ve experienced since May past.
“We had the Beef Emergency Aid Measure which was announced and covers the reference period of last September to this May, but prices since May have been lower again since that reference period.
“On that same basis, we now need a scheme to assist farmers with the losses they’ve experienced over that period of time," he said.
McConalogue said that the scheme has to apply up to now.
“The European Commission accepted that the principle that Irish prices are very depressed and accepted it in facilitating the scheme being approved and €50m of the funds came from Brussels and €50m from the national Exchequer.
“So on that same basis, they must accept now that there needs to be a follow-on scheme to cover the recent period up to now,” he said.
Live exports
McConalogue also said that Fianna Fáil wants to see more action on the facilitation of live exports.
“It would make a massive difference to demand and competition around the mart rings.
“Even if we go back to the start of this year in relation to the calf trade and through the continent and through Cherbourg, the Government really were hands-off, it wasn’t maximised the way it needs to be.
"Preparations need to be done for that next year, but also need to see more incentives now to encourage the live trade over the next couple of months as well,” he said.
Read more
Supermac’s boss: important that beef industry does not self-destruct
Ploughing 2019: McHugh was concerned for visitor numbers after last year
Watch: livestock section alive and kicking at Ploughing 2019
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