Macra and the IFA warn that nitrates derogation uncertainty is causing a generational renewal crisis, threatening the financial viability of young Irish dairy farmers who invested in sustainability.
Young farmers across Ireland feel a profound sense of betrayal and punishment despite actively implementing and investing in sustainable farming practices, according to Macra president Josephine O’Neill. Addressing nearly 2,000 farmers at a national meeting held by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in Corrin Mart, Co. Cork, O’Neill emphasized that young producers “have done what was asked of them.” The mass gathering, which also hosted Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, underscored the existential importance of retaining the nitrates derogation beyond 2025.
The potential loss of the nitrates derogation after 2025 carries “crippling” implications for the financial models of family farms and “threatens the very future of our farming sector,” O’Neill warned. She stressed that the current policy uncertainty and the subsequent crushing consequences are driving the people essential for generational renewal to abandon farming careers. This exodus would be involuntary, forced by a policy change that renders their businesses financially unviable, leading to the irreparable loss of the “heartbeat of rural Ireland.”
A major concern is the specific financial impact on young farmers who recently established their businesses. Many have built their operational models on current stocking rates, securing loans, expanding herds, and investing significantly in essential machinery and infrastructure to create sustainable, economically viable careers. The proposed policy shifts, which would drastically alter these parameters, are effectively telling them that their established business models no longer work, forcing many to reduce stock and output.
Furthermore, the uncertainty is creating significant challenges for new entrants to the sector. O’Neill explained that if existing farmers are forced to reduce their stocking rates, they will need to secure more land simply to maintain their current herd sizes. This increased demand will inevitably push up land rental prices, making it almost impossible for new entrants to acquire the necessary ground to launch their careers. Consequently, those aspiring to start farming may lose their opportunity entirely.
The IFA and the gathering farmers demanded immediate and effective action from political leaders. IFA environment chair John Murphy warned Minister Heydon that farmers will pay the highest price if the derogation is lost, stating, “failure is not an option,” and that farmers “will not accept failure.” While Minister Heydon acknowledged the “absolute importance” of the issue and the significance of the massive turnout, he admitted he could not offer “any guarantees” on the fate of the derogation post-2025, but confirmed he is doing everything possible to secure a continuation.
Source: Read the full report on the national meeting in Cork at Agriland.
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