IFA president Tim Cullinan met with the European Council President Maria do Céu Antunes ahead of the EU Agriculture Council of Ministers meeting.

While there, he held several other meetings with MEPs, other farming representative bodies and key policymakers to reinforce the IFA’s CAP demands.

IFA livestock chair Brendan Golden said the Minister for Agriculture and the Government must redouble their efforts to secure an immediate return of Irish beef to the Chinese market. It follows the announcement that Ireland has attained official status from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) of negligible risk status for BSE. “It’s a welcome recognition of the work and production standards on Irish farms,” he said.

IFA holds meeting with NDC on latest campaign

The IFA dairy committee met with Zoe Kavanagh, CEO of the National Dairy Council (NDC), to get an outline of the NDC’s new strategy, which is aimed at fortifying consumer trust in Irish dairy products and production.

“In their new strategy, the National Dairy Council have positioned themselves front and centre to defend Irish dairy farmer’s social licence to farm.

“There is a growing disconnect between farmers and consumers of dairy. We as farmers need to demonstrate and reassure consumers that Irish dairy is nutritious and environmentally sustainable,” said IFA national dairy chair Stephen Arthur.

The carbon footprint of Irish dairy is less than half that of the global average for dairy production. The temperate climate we live in allows us to produce milk from grass, which is naturally carbon-efficient.

The NDC has a strong track record in constructively communicating with consumers. It needs the continued support of all farmers and milk processors in communicating Irish dairy farmers’ overwhelmingly strong environmental credentials.

Maintaining a strong reputation domestically is the cornerstone on which we build our global reputation.

“Our industry is being scapegoated by environmental NGOs. We need a united voice through the NDC to cut through all the hype and demonstrate that dairy farmers are global leaders when it comes to producing milk efficiently,” Arthur concluded.