IFA national livestock chair Angus Woods has said Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed can no longer ignore the strong case for a €200 support for suckler cows.

He pointed out that the minister recently accepted a Fianna Fáil motion for €200 for suckler cows, and called for him to come on side and back suckler farmers and the case for €200 per cow.

Woods said: “Minister Creed is telling farmers that under state aid rules he cannot pay €200 per cow. However, the IFA has been to Brussels and the European Commission is clear that Ireland can make a targeted payment of €200 per cow under the animal welfare option in the CAP Rural Development Programme, which can be financed with exchequer funding

“The minister and the Government are looking at a financial surplus of over €3bn heading into the next budget and we are also heading into a possible election this year. The resources are there and it is a matter of priorities for Minister Creed,” Woods said.

Rejecting the spurious argument being put forward that the €200 suckler support will cost other farmers, Woods said that the IFA is very clear: “We will not pitch farmer against farmer. The IFA is demanding new money from the Government for this support and flatly rejects any suggestions that it would be taken from any farmer’s Basic Payment.”

Woods said it will be a major challenge to get €200 for suckler cows, but the IFA is determined to drive this campaign hard as suckler farmers need and deserve to be supported. “The beef sector is worth up to €3bn in exports. There are suckler cows in every parish in the country and they are the backbone of the quality Irish beef sector.”

Campaign

The IFA and the Irish Farmers Journal are holding farmer meetings in marts across the country over the coming weeks to ramp up the campaign for increased support for suckler farmers with all farmers encouraged to attend.