A financial package to support farmers in ensuring Irish food security is being sought from the Government by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
In an interview with the Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy, the minister said he has been “engaging at Government level in relation to the need” for such a package.
He was speaking following Tuesday’s meeting with farm organisations to discuss proposals on ways to mitigate the impact of supply challenges brought about by the war in Ukraine.
A decision was made to set up a national fodder and food security committee which will meet later this week.
One of the economic things farmers can do this year would be to grow more grain
The minister said the committee has been formed “because every farmer is going to have to consider their situation here given that 60% of grain supply comes from outside the country”.
He said overcoming fodder supply challenges is about “planning ahead” and he called on farmers to evaluate their stocking rates and feed demand for the coming year.
He warned that “given the importance of the Ukraine and Russia influence”, “there are real risks around supply disruption”.
“One of the economic things farmers can do this year would be to grow more grain.”
On the appropriateness of European agricultural policy, given the food security challenges brought about by war, he said there is “very much a lesson for everyone”. “I think at European level, in terms of the Farm to Fork, food security is seminal.”
Minister McConalogue failed to confirm if the €40m unspent BEAM scheme funding has been lost.
He said “there are lots of lessons to be learned there and it’s not the type of scheme that I would introduce again”.
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National fodder and food security committee set up
A financial package to support farmers in ensuring Irish food security is being sought from the Government by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.
In an interview with the Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy, the minister said he has been “engaging at Government level in relation to the need” for such a package.
He was speaking following Tuesday’s meeting with farm organisations to discuss proposals on ways to mitigate the impact of supply challenges brought about by the war in Ukraine.
A decision was made to set up a national fodder and food security committee which will meet later this week.
One of the economic things farmers can do this year would be to grow more grain
The minister said the committee has been formed “because every farmer is going to have to consider their situation here given that 60% of grain supply comes from outside the country”.
He said overcoming fodder supply challenges is about “planning ahead” and he called on farmers to evaluate their stocking rates and feed demand for the coming year.
He warned that “given the importance of the Ukraine and Russia influence”, “there are real risks around supply disruption”.
“One of the economic things farmers can do this year would be to grow more grain.”
On the appropriateness of European agricultural policy, given the food security challenges brought about by war, he said there is “very much a lesson for everyone”. “I think at European level, in terms of the Farm to Fork, food security is seminal.”
Minister McConalogue failed to confirm if the €40m unspent BEAM scheme funding has been lost.
He said “there are lots of lessons to be learned there and it’s not the type of scheme that I would introduce again”.
Read more
National fodder and food security committee set up
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