Partnership goals for IFA

By Matt Dempsey

Before they suspended their involvement in the Partnership process yesterday, the IFA presented the Government with their policy document. Indeed, it's a sign of the importance attached to the Partnership process that the organisation has launched a full detailed policy blueprint that it wants to see achieved in this current round of talks.

The submission to Government sets agriculture in the context of being by far the most important indigenous sector of the economy as well as providing 20% of employment outside of the public sector.

The organisation's policy spells out the critical policy issues at international and European level - here the WTO talks and the nitrates issues are central.

The Association wants an immediate response on nitrates if the talks are to progress. Specifically they want commitments on the levels of fertilizer allowed, the oppressive powers given to "authorised officers'' to inspect farms and to facilitate modern extended grazing practices.

On maintaining the suckler herd the IFA wants the modulation money under the SFP combined with a Government top-up to give a €100 a head on each suckler cow, while in an effort to reduce costs it calls for the halving of the disease levies.

Protein testing

On dairying the IFA is following up on the findings of an earlier study and wants the Department of Agriculture to enact legislation to allow it to spot check for protein in milk. It already has similar power in the case of butterfat testing.

They also sought special grants to allow the on farm treatment of home grown cereals in a drive to reduce costs and extra incentives to facilitate long term land leasing.

The IFA want price negotiating power on behalf of farmers so that they can have some chance in tackling the huge imbalance in bargaining power. The abolition of the Groceries Order makes this more urgent.

The IFA submission also calls for stepped up programmes in renewable energy, countryside access by agreement, farm family measures include nursing home and pension provisions