Brexit meeting

IFA president Joe Healy attended a meeting with UK farm leaders, hosted by the Ulster Farmers’ Union last week to discuss the implications of Brexit and to coordinate the approach of farm leaders to the negotiations. UFU president Barclay Bell, along with COPA president Martin Merrild, will be among the farm leaders who will speak at the IFA’s Brexit event taking place on 24 April. Book your free place now at www.ifa.ie/Brexit.

Hen harriers

IFA forestry chair Pat Collins has said farmers are angry at the lack of progress on the hen harrier threat response plan. IFA is seeking the removal of the ban on afforestation in hen harrier areas, and its replacement with an assessment process to evaluate the effect of new planting. SAC chair Padraic Joyce last week attended a meeting of the designated areas monitoring committee and called for issues affecting farm incomes and property values to be addressed.

Cattle prices rise

IFA livestock chair Angus Woods has said cattle prices are rising strongly as numbers tighten and factories are finding it very difficult to get numbers. Following a meeting of the national livestock committee last week, he said the strong message was that farmers selling should ensure they are well informed, negotiate hard and insist on the best deal for stock. Keep up with cattle price updates at www.ifa.ie.

ANC lobbying

IFA representatives met TDs and senators from around the country at a briefing on ANCs this week. It was made clear to Oireachtas members that every effort must be made to protect the areas already designated as ANC and to restore overall funding for the scheme to its pre-2009 level. The ANC scheme is a vital support and all political capital must be used to ensure that all farmers continue to benefit.