Many of the challenges encountered in 2017 will merely be carried through into 2018. Brexit will continue to dominate the political agenda and, as negotiations intensify, we will continue to see plenty of curveballs thrown at the agri-food sector. Whether or not we will be any clearer on what exactly Brexit means at the end of 2018 remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, this year will also see the foundations of the next CAP being laid. So far, Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan has outlined an ambitious vision for the future direction of CAP. But it is one that will present both opportunities and challenges for Ireland. As further details become available it will be important that Ireland is to the fore in fully understanding the consequences of a more flexible CAP. Brexit adds a further complication in this regard, with uncertainty around the future CAP budget in the wake of the UK leaving the EU.

United

To date, the sector has been united in ensuring the challenges Brexit presents for our agri-food sector remain top of the political agenda both at national and EU level. While it has been effective to-date, there is no room for complacency ahead of the serious negotiations set to begin in the weeks ahead.

We must ensure that the same united front is presented when it comes to defending the CAP budget. The entire agri-food sector must speak with one voice in guaranteeing that both Dublin and Brussels fully appreciate the effect any reduction in the CAP budget would have, not only on farmers’ incomes, but also the level of employment in towns and villages throughout rural Ireland.

CAP is not just for the farm organisations to defend but indeed every rural business depending on a vibrant agricultural sector – from machinery manufacturers to meat processors.

Of course, the challenge for the farm organisations will come when we get down to shaping policy direction and the distribution of funds under a new flexible CAP.

Over the last two years we have seen the formation of a number of farmer representation groups focusing on specific issues affecting particular sectors. While all serve to highlight valid concerns, there is a risk of diluting farmers’ voices within the political arena. Is 2018 the year where we need to look at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions model that would allow all farm organisations speak with one voice on critical issues such as the CAP budget, Brexit, EU trade deals and the challenges facing the suckler and tillage sectors? In addition to these, a number of issues emerged in 2017 that should be of real concern to the sector. The issue of climate change and the lack of understanding among Irish citizens as to the environmental attributes of our agricultural sector was brought centre stage by the outcome of the Citizens Assembly in November. The entire agri-food sector has a responsibility to tackle this issue head on, from the farm gate right through to research. Phelim O’Neill goes into detail on page 17.

If we are to realise our growth ambitions for the sector, farmers must ensure they bring the entire community on this journey. There needs to be an acceptance that for some this will require a different approach to not only farm practices but also with regard to the level of engagement with broader society.

Teagasc must be to the fore in informing the climate change debate with facts based on scientific research. Teagasc must stand firm with farmers in driving the research agenda necessary to not only defend the sector but also advance the necessary changes at farm level that will lead to improvements in the area of emissions. On page 6, Pat O’Toole reports on new recommendations being proposed in Northern Ireland, one of which includes restricting the use of CAN.

Alongside this, Bord Bia must guarantee that the Origin Green programme, in which farmers have invested heavily over many years, is in a position to robustly communicate and defend the environmental credentials of Irish agriculture to both policymakers and Irish and EU consumers.

We should question the logic of continuing with Origin Green as a business-to-business platform at a time when there is such a need to inform a wider consumer base.

Beyond the climate change debate, both Teagasc and Bord Bia alongside the wider industry will also need to develop a strategy in the year ahead to deal with the increased attempts by vested interest organisations to diminish the image of our industry in the eyes of the consumer.

Last year saw these organisations attempt to shine a spotlight on our industry with the aim of trying to undermine the high animal welfare standards that exist across Irish farms. While their success has been limited, we must not become complacent around such an important issue. It is encouraging to see a proactive approach being taken in relation to sexed semen. Jack Kennedy reports on page 6.

Likewise, on the growing issue of anti-microbial resistance (AMR), the industry must not only stand ready to present the facts on the low level of antibiotic use in our key sectors, but also be in a position to present a strategy to deliver further reductions.

In today’s world, all stages of our production system – from farms to marts to processing facilities – are a shop window for international markets to look into our industry. Every stakeholder has a responsibility to ensure the view through this window is what the consumer expects to see.

Farm deaths

Meanwhile, figures released by the Health and Safety Authority show farm deaths have increased for the third consecutive year. In 2017, there were 24 farm fatalities, accounting for 51% of total workplace deaths. There is a need for the entire industry to work together to address this.

It will require a cultural shift that sees the industry move to a zero-tolerance approach to poor safety practices. A top-down approach in the form of increased inspections and legislation will not solve the problem alone.

At the same time, we need to acknowledge the uniqueness of the agricultural sector.

Isolation is an obvious issue, with many farmers working alone, as is the age profile of those involved in the industry. Almost 60% of people who died on farms in 2017 were aged over 65.

While an early retirement scheme would certainly help address the problem, we cannot ignore the fact that many farmers do not actually want to retire from the sector and in fact many part-time farmers become more active on the farm after retirement. The challenge, of course, is to reduce the risk by accepting that there are just some jobs that this older generation should not be engaged in.