Speaking at the event, chair of Mayo County Council, hill farmer, and one of the driving forces behind the founding of the organisation, Michael Holmes, said: ‘’We now have an organisation that will represent small farmers in the west, and particularly those with designated land.’’ He said they saw the need for an organisation to represent small farmers and hill farmers back in 2013.

Colm O’Donnell, chair of the INHFA CAP committee and one of the driving forces behind the foundation of the organisation, said he knew they had something special at the first meeting in Westport when almost 1,700 people turned up.

We can’t offer you 20% off your phone bill or a €70 voucher for farm insurance, but you can be sure that we will do our very best to represent you

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He said the group got a mandate from the people at the meetings. He called on attendees to go back to their towns and villages and ask people to join the INHFA. He said: ‘’We can’t offer you 20% off your phone bill or a €70 voucher for farm insurance, but you can be sure that we will do our very best to represent you.”

He highlighted issues with land eligibility based on the Department’s ‘’narrow interpretation of the legislation’’. He said: ‘’We are meeting with the Department on the issue and the NPWS and it will be top of our agenda.’’

ANC payment

Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesman Éamon Ó Cuív told the crowd he would like to see the ANC payment changed to reflect the constraints of the land. He said that if a hill farmer can carry half the stock per hectare as a lowland farmer, then he/she should get twice as much in terms of payments. He also said that the ANC payments for farmers with designated land should not be paid on an unlimited number of hectares. He said that if the money was more targeted in these schemes to disadvantaged farmers there would be less bureaucracy. He went on to say that the INHFA should be one of the consultation groups.

INHFA Natura committee chair Seany Boyle said one of the issues the organisation wants addressed is why, according to Europe, farmers with designated land should be paid €150/ha but the Department of Agriculture only sees fit to pay €79/ha. He outlined other issues which need addressing, including planning and fencing issues for those on designated land and land eligibility. He also called for greater communication between the NPWS, the Department of Agriculture and farmers.

Farm assist

INHFA’s Brendan O’Malley spoke on the need to look at farm assist and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS). He called on the crowd to challenge politicians on proposed changes to the RSS scheme when they arrive on the doorstep.

Livestock committee chair Brendan Joyce said the group is lobbying for a €30/ewe payment for hill ewes. He called for more to be done for the light lamb trade to Portugal and Italy. He said the BDGP scheme should be re-opened and that the funding levels should be re-visited in the mid-term review.