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Healy criticised the handling of the KT scheme, but admitted there is great benefit to it if done correctly.
“Discussion groups are one of the best concepts in Irish agriculture. Unfortunately, the KT is leaving a lot of people a sore taste toward discussion groups,” he said.
“We would love to sit down with the Department, similar to how we worked with them in the development of the sheep scheme. There was goodwill there for that and farmers believed they had an input. That is what we need for this scheme,” he continued.
No matter what event we go to, farmers come to me complaining about the KT scheme
Healy is also eager for this to be done sooner rather than later.
“We would like this reviewed as soon as possible. It is very unfortunate that no matter what event we go to, farmers come to me complaining about the KT scheme,” he said.
Tillage crisis fund
Healy also spoke of his relief that the tillage crisis fund was agreed between the IFA and the Department of Agriculture last Wednesday.
“I am delighted that we have got to a stage where it is over the line. Unfortunately, it has dragged on since September, for a relatively small scheme,” he said.
“I remember saying at a protest last September in Kildare St that the IFA was not going away from this. That we couldn’t go away from it, because if we did, a number of tillage farmers would be lost,” Healy added.
Farmers clamour for total overhaul of Knowledge Transfer programme
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