Negotiations are ongoing in relation to the percentage of pillar I payments ring-fenced for eco-schemes.

As Barry Cassidy reports, the Portuguese presidency moved this week to break the deadlock with the European Parliament by increasing its proposed budget for eco-schemes from 20% to 25% of direct payments – a move that would see an extra €60m subtracted from direct payments in Ireland and allocated to climate and environmental schemes. The Parliament is seeking a 30% budget allocation.

Whatever the outcome, it is clear eco-schemes will play a major part in shaping the level of income support in the next CAP. Therefore, the indication this week that measures within eco-schemes that would give farmers additional money may be in breach of WTO rules is of huge concern.

This would see eco-scheme payments restricted to rewarding farmers for income forgone or cost incurred. Such an outcome would effectively see direct income support to farmers under the next CAP slashed.

The Irish Government must demand that no agreement is reached around eco-schemes at EU level that would effectively amount to a cut of 25% to 30% in direct income supports to farmers.

As we consider the future of under-16-month bull beef on Tullamore Farm, it is hard to ignore the clear production efficiencies of the system. A move to steer production would result in animals being slaughtered up to eight months older at the same carcase weight. ICBF has shown that the greatest way to reduce the carbon footprint of the suckler herd is to reduce age at slaughter. Recent research from Teagasc Grange has shown only marginal differences in the meat-eating quality of bulls and steers up to 22 months of age.

At a time when farmers are being asked to become ever more efficient, how can we tolerate such a move when there is no economic or environmental benefit in doing so?

The final webinar from our Tullamore Farm virtual series is on Tuesday 4 May at 8:30pm, where we will discuss the financial challenges facing suckler and sheep systems.

As Pat Griffin of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) discusses this week, silage season is a high-risk period on farms. There are steps that can be taken by contractors to reduce risks. The most important is to ensure that those put in charge of machines have the training and experience necessary to ensure they are operated safely. A zero-tolerance approach to unsafe practices is required. Using phones and keeping social media platforms updated while operating machines should not be seen as acceptable. The ability of gardaí to access phone activity in the event of an accident and the potential legal consequences should be clearly spelled out to all operators.

Also this week, chair of the Agri-food strategy Tom Arnold says Ireland does not have a duty to feed the world. He is correct – but Ireland does not produce enough food to feed 35m people out of a sense of duty. Ireland produces food for export because it allows the country to maximise its climatic and land resources for the benefit of its citizens – particularly those living within rural communities.

Worryingly for farmers, despite the agri-food strategy clearly pointing towards increased costs at farm level, its chair appears to be distancing himself from the ambition in the report that the market will reward farmers for enhanced sustainability.