The Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA’s) Farming and Food Conference – titled ‘A Sector Worth Backing’ – has concluded this evening (Thursday, October 31) with the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement and the nitrates derogation chief among the wide range of concerns raised by the farmers.
For the IFA, the conference – held at The Curragh, Co. Kildare – was an opportunity to highlight their key asks to government ahead of the imminent general election, with IFA president Francie Gorman, and the association’s other key officers among county executives and commodity committees, raising their concerns.
For the government – especially Taoiseach Simon Harris and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue – it was a chance to set out their and their parties’ stalls for the election in an effort to secure the farmer vote, although it remains to be seen if farmers in attendance left The Curragh convinced.
Speaking to Agriland at the event, IFA president Francie Gorman outlined the purpose of the conference.
“We want to see the sector backed… Farmers feel the job is just being made harder and harder as each day goes along. Obviously we had a number of key asks, among them being a commitment on Mercosur, a trade deal that looks like it’s coming down the tracks; the nitrates derogation; and…the future CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) negotiations,” Gorman said.
Commenting on those concerns over the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, Minister McConalogue told Agriland: “The Irish position in Europe has been and will continue to be that the same standards must apply, to anyone who is seeking to [export ] into the EU, that are applied to our own farmers.
“We have to absolutely protect our sectors, that’s the bottom line, in terms of any asks coming into the EU…but also in terms of any small amount that would be agreed, that standards have to be applied and also verifiable.”
The minister’s comments come after concerns were raised in recent days that the trade agreement may be finalised between Mercosur and EU officials in mid-November during the G20 summit in Brazil, which is a Mercosur member country.
There were two significant announcements made at today’s IFA conference, both coming courtesy of Taoiseach Simon Harris.
The first was confirmation that a new cabinet committee is to be formed to address water quality in an effort to retain the nitrates derogation.
He told the conference that, if still Taoiseach after the election, he is “committed to establishing a cabinet committee on water quality to drive improvements from my department and steer a national effort to retain the nitrates derogation”.
The conference also learned that the government has agreed an amendment to the Finance Bill 2024 which may provide for a delay to changes to agricultural relief announced in Budget 2025.
The bill will be amended so that the agricultural relief changes will require a commencement order to be signed before they can come into force.
The aim of this change, according to the Taoiseach, is to allow further consultation to take place with stakeholders on these changes, which have proven controversial since their announcement in October.
The Mercosur deal, the nitrates derogation, and agricultural relief were just three of the myriad of issues raised by farmers at today’s conference.
You can now read the most important #news on #eDairyNews #Whatsapp channels!!!
🇺🇸 eDairy News INGLÊS: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaKsjzGDTkJyIN6hcP1K
