In its lobby return for the period May-August 2022, Macra made a submission to Minister of State Pippa Hackett seeking additional funding for facilities and on-farm provisions for students undertaking farm placements.

Macra president John Keane told Minister Hackett that such financial supports are required to ensure each student’s experience is consistent across farms and to deliver on learning outcomes.

Macra also contacted all Oireachtas members outlining a proposal for Government to fund low-cost car insurance for young drivers.

Keane told TDs and senators that through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), a Government fund could be created and used by the insurance industry to provide low-cost car insurance for “young drivers that meet an appropriate and lower risk criterion for two years”.

Keane said the model would be similar to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SCBI) model of low-cost finance, where the risk is shared by the taxpayer and industry.

Macra suggested the package would apply to 20 to 25-year-olds with a full licence, no penalty points, a car size between 1.0l-1.6l and for social, domestic and work commute driving.

Macra also sought free travel for those below the age of 26, more accessible rural rail platforms and additional rural electric car charging points.

The young farmer organisation also lobbied politicians on additional provisions for young farmers under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and their priority access to eco-schemes, along with a call for VAT exemptions for sexed semen.

Pay farmers to remove diseased ash – IFA

The IFA called on the Government to pay farmers to take ash trees with ash dieback out of ditches.

It lobbied Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan, seeking a financial package for farmers to manage diseased ash trees in their hedgerows and along public roads.

The IFA said such a package would support “farmers and landowners to hire relevant professionals to safely fell diseased trees.”

This would also protect the health and safety of farmers and landowners in the management of infected ash trees and indirectly, protect public road users, the IFA said.

BVD testing

The IFA also called on the Department of Agriculture to pay for BVD testing for dairy and suckler farmers.

In emails to TDs, senators, MEPs and Department officials, IFA animal health chair TJ Maher said that from 2023 onwards, the testing and surveillance required must be paid for “in full” by the Department.

Maher said such an approach would be “consistent with the publicly stated Department of Agriculture policy of cost and responsibility sharing in disease control.”

He also called for continued financial supports where BVD controls are imposed.