In this week’s edition of the Irish Farmers Journal, the Dealer highlighted a series of meetings on a range of topics that secured a significant audience.
They covered dairy, tillage, the EU budget and the Bord Bia farmer forum roadshows.
The level of importance attached to each of these for farmers will depend on their type of farming. It is unlikely that dairy farmers will be greatly interested in the Boortmalt price and similarly with tillage farmers in relation to the butter debate between Ornua and Tirlán.
The debate on the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) – the EU budget which runs from 2028 to 2034 – will affect every farmer that receives a CAP payment.
The draft tabled by the Irish presidency makes grim reading for farmers, as, based on this, the next CAP is heading for another record low share of the EU budget and a further reduction in payments for farmers.
Bord Bia farmer forum roadshows
However, what really grabbed farmers' attention was the Bord Bia farmer forum roadshows meetings held in Dungarvan, Carlow and Athlone.
This forum was set up as part of the resolution of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) sit-in at the Bord Bia offices earlier this year and brings together around 100 quality assured farmers to discuss “issues and topics impacting farmers, as well as areas relevant to Bord Bia’s role and remit”.
Engagement with a wider range of farmers is part of the remit and this is to happen through roadshows.
While Bord Bia had its A team in attendance each night and sought to explain what the organisation is about, reports from the meetings suggest that the audience was focused on quality assurance, Origin Green and, at this stage, almost inevitably its chair Larry Murrin.
In the often passionate discussions, it was evident that there were very few minds or positions changed by the robust engagement. When it comes to reeling in the years on 2026, there is little doubt that Bord Bia will feature prominently.
Accepting that many farmers feel passionately about the Bord Bia chair, there has to be recognition that he is now likely to remain in place until he completes his term.
Given this situation then, no matter how strong views may be, it is worth giving the matter further attention when there are so many issues, particularly in relation to CAP, that will have a much more direct impact on farmers' financial wellbeing in the years ahead.
Lightning rod on QA
A similar question can be posed around the whole quality assurance (QA) debate. Many farmers remain hostile to QA for various reasons, but it is mainly built around a feeling of additional bureaucracy for insufficient reward.
Given its role in administering the scheme, this makes Bord Bia something of a lightning rod for farmer frustration around QA.
Yet, if there wasn’t a single national scheme, it is likely that individual companies with supermarket or burger chain listings would have to devise a similar scheme with external audits to satisfy their customers' due diligence requirements.
There is little chance these would be any more farmer friendly than the present system and that is not to say we shouldn’t always be looking to make the present QA scheme better and more farmer friendly.
Priorities
Bord Bia now has a very substantial budget and it is right that it is held to account for how that budget is used in the interests of Irish farmers.
However, there are other issues beyond its chair and its role in QA that will have a more direct impact on the fortunes of Irish farmers in the years ahead.
The CAP is about to be decimated and the long-term future of the nitrates derogation remains unsure, while the climate legislation with its reduction in emissions by 2030 is enshrined in legislation.
To be most effective, farmer lobbying has to concentrate on the issues that can either put money into farmers' pockets or at least stop it being removed.
In this context Bord Bia, its chair and QA are lesser issues, even if farmers feel strongly about them.
Bord Bia lambs sent to slaughter