Mairead McGuinness, vice-president of the European Parliament, has asked the Agricultural Committee to recognise the severe problems faced by some grain growers in Ireland where persistent rain has made it impossible to harvest crops, with many now unsalvageable. She has also asked them to address the "critical situation for grain production in Europe following a very difficult harvest from a price and yield perspective".

McGuinness said she had raised the issue of the tillage sector with Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan in July and received assurances that the €11m aid package announced by the Commission could be used for aid to the tillage sector.

"I will be seeking clarification that this fund is available to the grain sector following publication recently of the regulations which appears to restrict aid to the livestock sector,” said McGuinness, who is also reported to have written to Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed on the issue.

Luke Ming Flanagan echoed her views at the agricultural committee meeting in Brussels this week.

EU Exceptional Aid Package

“We have had the EU Exceptional Aid Package for the dairy and livestock sector and there is certainly full justification for similar aid to be provided for hard-pressed grain producers along the western seaboard and other areas of the country which have suffered from exceptional rainfall,” Marian Harkin said following a meeting with grain farmers from Mayo and north Galway. “Teagasc is currently gathering information as to the number of farmers concerned and the financial cost to each farmer. It is hoped to have this information within the next week and this can then form the basis for determining what type of package might be developed to help them.

"When I have this information I will bring it to the European Commission and make the case for aid based on the fact that farmers in other EU countries, including France, Germany and Belgium, have experienced similar problems.”

Low prices

Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy has also called on Creed to recognise the investment that tillage farmers put into crops.

“Mounting losses in this sector have caused the cereal area in Ireland to fall by close to 100,000 acres since 2012. This is unsurprising, with Teagasc reporting that farmers are being offered prices as low as €116 per tonne, well below the €152 per tonne needed, just to break even," said Carthy, who recently visited tillage farms in Longford.“The Department of Agriculture must respond to these challenges and not sit by as our farmers struggle from one crisis to another."

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Government considering assistance for weather affected tillage farmers