As food security is high on the agenda of discussions by the European Commission, it has announced a €500 million fund for food producers. Reports suggest that of that Ireland will be receiving just over €15 million, and each member state can then provide further funding up to 200% of their national envelope this equates to a further €30 million for Ireland.
With the latest funding announcement, the government is entitled to make around €47 million available to Irish producers. A range of other non-funding measures to maintain food security were also put on the table by the commission.
But the government has been urged to send a strong signal on supporting farmers by fully accessing the range of supports announced by the European Commission. According the Irish Farmers’ Association has stressed the urgency needed by the government to address the inputs crisis if farmers are to produce the food that’s required.
Welcoming the commission’s decision to allow crops to be grown on fallow land, the IFA’s Tim Cullinan says it will help to boost feedstock in the country. He adds that the commission also announced safety net measures to support the income of pig farmers, who have been hardest hit by spiraling feed costs.
The commission says that support is needed for producers in sectors where input costs are “rising to unsustainable levels and where products cannot find their normal market outlet”.