Beef and sheep farmers “are being crucified” by spiralling input costs, according to The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
In a recent meeting with Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, ICSA President Dermot Kelleher urged him to channel exchequer funds to the vulnerable beef, suckler, and sheep sectors. The silage support scheme is helpful but not enough, said ICSA.
They motivated for a EUR 2,000 voucher to compensate farmers who bought fertiliser for their farming enterprises in 2021. Kelleher said these should be payable at a rate of 50% of their total fertiliser purchases last year, up to EUR 2,000.
Meanwhile, suckler chair Jimmy Cosgrave proposed a suckler welfare scheme that could contribute EUR 80 to EUR 100 per cow. When combined with Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments, this would mean EUR 250 per cow in total.
Rural development chair Tim Farrell was also part of the delegation that met with the minister. He said that CAP cannot be expected to do everything. In addition, the European Commission’s Biodiversity Strategy should include extra funding for farmers affected by designations outside of the CAP.