Full support for live exports, Brexit compensation for losses sustained by farmers and a fully funded CAP will be sought from election candidates by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA).
ICSA president Edmond Phelan said: “Candidates need to understand that Brexit has caused a lot of damage to the cattle and sheep sectors in 2019 and that’s why [the] ICSA has repeatedly called for a second phase of the BEAM scheme and a similar scheme for sheep farmers.”
These requests come in addition to those outlined in a previous report by the Irish Farmers Journal.
Climate balance
He also warned all candidates that blaming farming as the main cause of climate change is not just unacceptable, it is wrong.
“2019 and early 2020 has also seen a sustained onslaught on livestock farming whereby these sectors are being targeted unfairly and with a complete lack of balance in terms of climate change and health,” he said.
Phelan also pointed out that farmers should be entitled to carbon credits for sequestration through grassland management, hedgerows and tree planting and would like to see this include work already undertaken by farmers.
He also called for the new Dáil to oppose the Mercosur deal, which “runs completely contrary to all pronouncements on climate change”.
Sucklers
Support strategy to brand suckler beef as speciality product and get PGI status for sucklers.Devise national policy for international promotion of beef as a niche product with the objective of increasing returns to producers.Beef
Oppose in-spec requirements, which are not justified by independent market research.Ensure that next national agri-food strategy is focused on farm profits in the cattle and sheep sectors.Sheep
New Sheep Welfare Scheme with double current payment.Set up a wool board to make sheep shearing profitable again by developing new markets for wool and maximising returns from existing outlets.Rural development
Oppose forced sales of land where farmer is making genuine effort to find resolution with bank or other creditors. Support insurance reform.The ICSA has outlined a number of areas in animal health and welfare, organics and taxation, including opposing proposals on pre-movement TB testing, opposition to prescriptions for anthelmintic doses, calls for funding to increase organic meat exports and parity for the self-employed on tax credits.
Read more
Election battle on farming heating up
Political leaders to address IFA AGM
All farmer payments will be cut unless CAP is fully funded – McConalogue
Full support for live exports, Brexit compensation for losses sustained by farmers and a fully funded CAP will be sought from election candidates by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA).
ICSA president Edmond Phelan said: “Candidates need to understand that Brexit has caused a lot of damage to the cattle and sheep sectors in 2019 and that’s why [the] ICSA has repeatedly called for a second phase of the BEAM scheme and a similar scheme for sheep farmers.”
These requests come in addition to those outlined in a previous report by the Irish Farmers Journal.
Climate balance
He also warned all candidates that blaming farming as the main cause of climate change is not just unacceptable, it is wrong.
“2019 and early 2020 has also seen a sustained onslaught on livestock farming whereby these sectors are being targeted unfairly and with a complete lack of balance in terms of climate change and health,” he said.
Phelan also pointed out that farmers should be entitled to carbon credits for sequestration through grassland management, hedgerows and tree planting and would like to see this include work already undertaken by farmers.
He also called for the new Dáil to oppose the Mercosur deal, which “runs completely contrary to all pronouncements on climate change”.
Sucklers
Support strategy to brand suckler beef as speciality product and get PGI status for sucklers.Devise national policy for international promotion of beef as a niche product with the objective of increasing returns to producers.Beef
Oppose in-spec requirements, which are not justified by independent market research.Ensure that next national agri-food strategy is focused on farm profits in the cattle and sheep sectors.Sheep
New Sheep Welfare Scheme with double current payment.Set up a wool board to make sheep shearing profitable again by developing new markets for wool and maximising returns from existing outlets.Rural development
Oppose forced sales of land where farmer is making genuine effort to find resolution with bank or other creditors. Support insurance reform.The ICSA has outlined a number of areas in animal health and welfare, organics and taxation, including opposing proposals on pre-movement TB testing, opposition to prescriptions for anthelmintic doses, calls for funding to increase organic meat exports and parity for the self-employed on tax credits.
Read more
Election battle on farming heating up
Political leaders to address IFA AGM
All farmer payments will be cut unless CAP is fully funded – McConalogue
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