Co-op prices

Commenting on the cuts made by co-ops to February and/or March milk prices, IFA national dairy chair Tom Phelan said that, with milk prices now at 1995 levels, co-ops had some serious questions to answer. “Bearing in mind that many industry spokespeople predicted only a couple of months ago that 2019 milk prices would be about on par with last year’s, co-ops owe it to their suppliers to signal that this is the end of milk price cuts for 2019. Farmers need every cent as peak approaches to clear their massively increased 2018 bills,” Mr Phelan said.

Renewables

IFA renewable project team leader Tom Short has welcomed the approval by the European Commission of Ireland’s Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH). However, he said the delayed and piecemeal rollout of the scheme, and the low level of funding, has frustrated farmers, technology providers and investors alike.

He said: “While the first phase of the scheme (the installation of grant aid for heat pumps) was operational since last year, we are still awaiting scheme details for biomass boilers and anaerobic digestion systems.”

Payment delays

IFA deputy president Richard Kennedy has urged Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to pay out approximately €45m which is owed to farmers in respect of schemes that they applied for in 2018. Kennedy said it is unacceptable that this money is being held up at a time when farmers are on their knees and are in desperate need of income support.

EU election

The IFA will hold four open farmer meetings for the candidates running in the European elections in May.

The meetings are an opportunity for you to ask the candidates about their position on key farming issues. Midlands-Northwest constituency – Wednesday 24 April, McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris; Wednesday 1 May, Bloomfield House Hotel, Mullingar. South constituency – Tuesday 30 April, Springfort Hall, Mallow; Tuesday 7 May, Springhill Court Hotel, Kilkenny. All meetings start at 8pm