The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has called on the Minister for Agriculture to redraft the proposed Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme.

Spokesperson Brendan Joyce outlined how the INHFA had, through the CAP consultative process, sought direct support for the suckler sector through a coupled payment, saying it “was included in our response to the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) on both our SWOT and needs analysis”.

“In subsequent discussions around this, DAFM officials indicated to us that their intention was to support the suckler sector through a welfare-type scheme in Pillar II.

"Unfortunately, what they have now produced is anything but a welfare scheme,” Joyce said.

Intervene

“Now is the time for the Minister to intervene to have the make-up and title of this scheme (Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme) altered to reflect what was agreed through the consultation process, that being a welfare programme similar to what is currently in place under BEEP but with higher payments.”

He maintained that it is “vital that the redrafting of a new suckler scheme is done in the coming days, to give the sector time to reflect and provide feedback on the make-up of any new scheme”.

The consultation process is due to close on 27 August.

Undermining the sector

Suckler farmers are “understandably annoyed at continued attempts to undermine the sector and scapegoat them on concerns around climate change, with many also pointing to the BEAM Programme, that had at its core a 5% mandatory reduction requirement,” Joyce continued.

The spokesperson restated the need for the current proposal to be scrapped immediately, with a new scheme that farmers can buy into provided.

“The suckler sector is most definitely not the problem when it comes to addressing agriculture’s climate change concerns,” he concluded.