In a wide-ranging exchange lasting over two hours – more Mastermind than Just a Minute Quiz – practically every issue affecting farmers was put to Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed at the IFA AGM.

The issue most pressed on the Minister was a crisis fund for those grain farmers on the southern seaboard and in the west who lost much of their harvest last year.

Brexit featured strongly, with the Minister being pressed on what Brussels plans to do for Irish farmers, and Joe Healy looking for “some kind of aid package for losses suffered”.

“We are not about to surrender hard-won yards in the UK market,” Creed said, stressing that Theresa May’s statement had at least provided some clarity.

Highlighting the importance of North-South as well as Dublin-London dialogue, he said it is unlikely that there will be an executive in place in Northern Ireland when Article 50 is triggered on 1 March, as elections are now underway. He had met with the likes of Tesco, whose UK operation purchases €700m of Irish produce.

Notwithstanding a hard Brexit, the minister said “our preferred option is as close as possible to the status quo”, particularly when it comes to border arrangements.

Payments

The minister admitted that for those farmers waiting for payments, the fact that Ireland is “best in class” in the EU for meeting payment deadlines was “cold comfort”.

IFA deputy president Richard Kennedy said the rights under the charter must be enshrined.

There was praise for the sheep scheme and the aquaculture licensing review. Questioned on the beef genomic (BGDP) scheme, the minister expects it to re-open in the first half of 2017. The upcoming reviews of the nitrates directive and Areas of Natural Constraint will be high priorities in 2017. “We have already applied for the nitrates derogation,” the minister said. Minister of State Andrew Doyle, also present, dealt with forestry issues.

The Minister closed with a passionate appeal for safety awareness on farms. That was one issue everyone could readily agree with.

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Full coverage: IFA AGM