A Laois TD has weighed in on the decision by Boortmalt to cut its contract with Stradbally Town and Country, meaning its suppliers will no longer be able to grow malting barley which offers a premium price over feed barley.
William Aird has written to Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, Boortmalt and Diageo on the matter. He asked Boortmalt to “revisit this ill-advised decision”. He said that many of the smaller farmers supplying Stradbally Town and Country “are not in a position to deliver barley to an alternative intake at a farther distance”.
He added that the expertise and heritage of growing quality malting barley is embedded in the Laois area which he said “has been seen through the quality of barley delivered by my constituents”.
Deputy Aird also called on Minister Heydon to take action on the matter.
He said the decision impacts on the Government’s target to increase the tillage area to 400,000ha by 2030.
He added that 65% of farmers supplying Stradbally Town and Country have less than 30ac of tillage.
“It is extremely likely that a loss of malting barley contracts will result in a large proportion of this land leaving tillage,” he wrote, having earlier noted that premium contracts like malting barley are a key part of the Food Vision Tillage Group report.
The TD also wrote to Diageo asking the company to speak with Boortmalt on the matter to ensure families growing malting barley for generations will continue to be able to do so.
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