Macra members from across the country came together in a powerful show of solidarity, joining farmers, their families, supporters and farming organisations to protest against the proposed EU-Mercosur Trade agreement on Saturday 10 January. The demonstration, held at the International Arena at TUS, sent a clear and unified message: Irish agriculture, rural communities and future generations must be protected.

Thousands gathered both inside and outside the venue, with Macra national president Josephine O’Neill addressing the crowd.

In her address, she warned that the “Mercosur trade agreement is a direct threat to the future of Irish agriculture”, highlighting deep concerns around food standards, farm incomes and generational renewal.

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The Mercosur deal would allow increased imports of beef and other agricultural products from South American countries, where production standards differ significantly from those required of Irish farmers.

As Josephine pointed out: “Irish farmers believe in producing food the right way,” and the agreement represents “not free trade, but unfair trade”.

Young farmers were central to the message on the day. With rising land prices, increasing regulation and pressure on incomes already facing the sector, Josephine told protesters that young farmers are now being told that “even if they do everything right, their livelihoods can still be undermined overnight”. She warned that “if we undermine farm incomes, we undermine generational renewal,” threatening the future of farming families and rural Ireland as a whole.

Importantly, the protest was about more than agriculture alone. “This is not just about farmers, it’s about rural communities, food security, and the kind of country we want to be,” Josephine said, urging consumers to recognise their role too. “Every label matters, every purchase matters.”

She closed with a clear call to action: “Always buy Irish. Buying Irish means backing family farms, it means protecting world-class standards, it means giving young farmers a reason to believe there is a future for them at home. We will not trade away our standards, we will not sacrifice a generation of young farmers.”

Macra’s presence on the day reflected the organisation’s continued commitment to standing up for young farmers and rural communities, now and into the future.