Burnt land

IFA hill chair Pat Dunne has called for a process to be established to allow for appeal and fair judgment in cases where farmers’ lands were burned illegally. He said it is an unfair situation that farmers would face financial loss if they are to take out lands burnt through no fault of their own from their BPS applications. There must be due process that allows farmers to maintain payments where fires damaged their land through no fault of their own.

Live exports

IFA livestock chair Angus Woods has said he is confident that more Irish exporters will secure contracts for the Turkish market and the live trade will be active throughout the summer and into next autumn. He said it is essential for competition that a strong and vibrant live export trade is maintained and export numbers increase as we approach the second half of the year. The calf export trade has been helped by the drop in Department charges secured by the IFA.

Fertiliser prices

The trade should immediately pass through the significant drop in wholesale fertiliser prices to farmers, inputs chair John Coughlan has insisted. Wholesale CAN prices have fallen over recent weeks but many farmers are not seeing this as importers and merchants attempt to maintain prices at artificially inflated levels. It is evident from recent survey results that some farmers are charged up to €30/t extra where they don’t bargain for a price before placing the order.

Clipping charges

Irish Country Meats (ICM) has confirmed to the IFA that it is not applying any clipping charges on spring lambs. This is a positive development and will help advance the issue on the clean sheep policy with farmers. Since last autumn, the issue of ICM charging for the clipping of all sheep was a contentious issue with sheep farmers. The IFA objected strongly to this policy as it unfairly penalised the majority of farmers who supply clean sheep.