Suckler farmers are key to the viability of rural Ireland and the Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten has said he will fight for the sector in Budget 2019 negotiations.

Speaking at a regional IFA suckler and beef meeting in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, on Monday night, Minister Naughten said there are two key things needed for the sector.

“We need to ensure its viability and we need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector,” he said.

While the Minister gave his support to farmers on the night, when pressed on whether he would support a €200/head suckler cow payment the Minister did not confirm he would support such a payment.

“Over the last 10 years the agricultural sector kept this country afloat. The consumer needs to know that better, safer, carbon-efficient beef costs money and sadly this isn’t reflected in the price the farmer gets.

“We all acknowledge that there needs to be support put into the sector that isn’t pocketed by the processors.”

Undeliverable

Meanwhile, at an IFA county executive meeting in Co Laois on Monday night, the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed dismissed a suckler cow payment, saying that it was undeliverable and that he is focussed on CAP reform.

Minister Creed’s comments did not go down well when read out at the suckler meeting in Ballinasloe, with IFA president Joe Healy saying that if the Minister does not want to pay €200 to support sucklers, the Government will end up paying it in social welfare.

Healy also said he was “fed-up” with the lack of delivery for Irish agriculture from Minister Creed.

Read more in this week's Irish Farmers Journal.