Agricultural aid increase

IFA president Joe Healy has welcomed the proposal by the European Commission to increase the de minimis agricultural aid ceiling to €25,000 from €15,000. This is a very positive development and will allow the Government much greater scope to support farmers through difficult situations, including as a result of weather events and crop and animal losses. It will also provide scope to help farmers with low cost credit and tax-based solutions to address income volatility.

Pig price

Pigs chair Tom Hogan has called on all factories to look at the market realities of increasing demand and tightening supply, and lift Irish pig prices above the €1.50c/kg price required to break even. He said that pig farmers have endured months of price cuts and at least €1.50/kg has to be returned to pig farmers if the processors are seriously committed to this business in the long term.

Sheep

Farmers who have fed lambs at a very high cost this winter need to ensure they are getting full value for their stock at this time, sheep chair Sean Dennehy has said. He urged farmers to make sure to shop around and to not just accept the base price on offer from the agent or factory. He said it is totally unacceptable the way some factories have pushed all of the cost associated with the clean sheep policy back on top of farmers and this must be resisted.

Milk price

Dairy chair Tom Phelan has called on co-ops to hold the February milk price to support farmers through the effect of last week’s snow storm. He said the conditions were extremely difficult and costly for farmers at an already hectic calving season and farmers will need every bit of their next milk cheque. They must be able to count on their co-ops to make a supportive decision on milk price for February supplies.