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Farmer fears for the future of the suckler sector got Government recognition this week.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar offered his full support to farmers at the IFA AGM this week.
“We are in this together and I want you to know this Government will always have your back,” the Taoiseach said. Growing industry concern about the future of suckler production was acknowledged by the Taoiseach and Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
The Taoiseach also affirmed his support for the under-pressure suckler sector. “Ireland without beef would not be Ireland,” he said.
IFA president Joe Healy restated the need for a €200 suckler cow payment, adding that he will commission a study on the importance of the suckler herd.
However, Minister Creed appeared to rule out any coupled suckler payment before 2020.
He said he would be open to a coupled suckler payment in the next CAP, although it would require €200m annually, 18% of the current Basic Payment Scheme.
Underspend
IFA livestock chair Angus Woods claimed there were enough funds in the current departmental underspend to fund such a payment now, which Creed vehemently denied.
The minister added that the current decoupled payment meant farmers are not forced to maintain production at a loss.
The Taoiseach also offered a strong defence of CAP funds for farmers.
“If the EU wants to do new things, and it should, we should find new money,” he said. “It should not come from cuts in established well-functioning programmes like CAP.”
Minister Creed said the low-interest loan fund will not be launched in the first half of the year. This will disappoint farmers who are facing expensive fodder bills and tillage farmers who must soon purchase their crop inputs.
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