Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson Claire Kerrane TD has called on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConloague to get financial supports to tillage farmers “urgently”.
She called on the Minister to engage with tillage stakeholders such as the Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) on the matter.
While noting the additional €8m allocated for the tillage sector in Tuesday’s budget, the Sinn Féin TD said that the announcement last week of €7.148m for the tillage sector under the EU agricultural reserve “did not go down well”.
"There was widespread criticism that the allocation is nowhere near what is needed given the very real crisis for tillage farmers this year,” she warned.
Latest funding
Deputy Kerrane called on Minister McConalogue to meet and engage with stakeholders on how best to spend the €8m allocated in Budget 2024.
Tillage farmers need support, said Sinn Féin. \ CJ Nash
"This money needs to get to tillage farmers urgently. As of yet, there is no plan for when this will be. This is especially urgent given the funding announced last week will not be paid until January.
"I am also calling on the Minister to seek greater funding from the EU under the agricultural reserve for tillage farmers to increase the amount announced last week.
“His Department should also be looking at the €150m of unspent funds under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to see if a way can be found to support the tillage sector under this, rather than returning it to Europe unspent,” she said.
Target
The Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson highlighted that Government has set a target to increase the area under tillage crops to 400,000ha by 2030.
“This will not happen if existing tillage farmers are not listened to and supported now. Instead, we'll be seeing an exit from tillage,” she said.
Grain growers
In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal on Budget 2024, IGGG chair Bobby Miller said that the “lack of specifics in the budget leave us incapable of a proper assessment in relation to the tillage sector”.
“[That there has been] no announcement of Government funding for a top-up payment of the exceptional aid after such a difficult season is very discouraging. It must be addressed,” he said.
Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson Claire Kerrane TD has called on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConloague to get financial supports to tillage farmers “urgently”.
She called on the Minister to engage with tillage stakeholders such as the Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) on the matter.
While noting the additional €8m allocated for the tillage sector in Tuesday’s budget, the Sinn Féin TD said that the announcement last week of €7.148m for the tillage sector under the EU agricultural reserve “did not go down well”.
"There was widespread criticism that the allocation is nowhere near what is needed given the very real crisis for tillage farmers this year,” she warned.
Latest funding
Deputy Kerrane called on Minister McConalogue to meet and engage with stakeholders on how best to spend the €8m allocated in Budget 2024.
Tillage farmers need support, said Sinn Féin. \ CJ Nash
"This money needs to get to tillage farmers urgently. As of yet, there is no plan for when this will be. This is especially urgent given the funding announced last week will not be paid until January.
"I am also calling on the Minister to seek greater funding from the EU under the agricultural reserve for tillage farmers to increase the amount announced last week.
“His Department should also be looking at the €150m of unspent funds under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve to see if a way can be found to support the tillage sector under this, rather than returning it to Europe unspent,” she said.
Target
The Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson highlighted that Government has set a target to increase the area under tillage crops to 400,000ha by 2030.
“This will not happen if existing tillage farmers are not listened to and supported now. Instead, we'll be seeing an exit from tillage,” she said.
Grain growers
In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal on Budget 2024, IGGG chair Bobby Miller said that the “lack of specifics in the budget leave us incapable of a proper assessment in relation to the tillage sector”.
“[That there has been] no announcement of Government funding for a top-up payment of the exceptional aid after such a difficult season is very discouraging. It must be addressed,” he said.
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