Biblical rules of fair pay and fair trade should be applied to Irish farming, claims a Church of Ireland minister.
The minister, who was raised on a dairy farm in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, has written about farming from a Christian perspective.
Reverend Lester Scott said the Bible is clear that people should be paid fairly for their work and applying this principle means farmers should receive the minimum wage, at least.
“Farmers who build up productive dairy herds, while cognisant of the necessary adaptions pertaining to climate change; farmers who raise fine livestock, and yet for all that end up losing money on their efforts, he said.
“There is something inherently wrong, inegalitarian and unethical about that,” the minister said.
Rev. Scott, is the rector of the Fenagh-Myshall-Aghade-Ardoyne group of parishes in the Diocese of Leighlin.
He believes fair pay would see most farmers earning around €25,500 per year, which would be in line with the average 2021 farm income defined by Teagasc.
Rev Scott also believes that a fair trade symbol should be applied to farmers’ produce to show they received a fair price for their work.
“If we had fair trade in our own country, many of the current problems and fears abut the future would disappear,” he added.
“People from a non-farming background don’t understand what it’s like to be a farmer.”
LSL News.