The additional aid secured in this year’s budget is a start but a lot more is needed from the State and EU, says IFA beef chairman

Angus Woods

THE IFA is fully committed to supporting our national suckler herd and the 75,000 full and part-time farmers involved in the enterprise.

In practice, this means IFA members campaigning hard to deliver additional targeted direct support for sucklers and also working to secure a price premium for quality suckler beef.

We secured an additional €20m in Budget 2019. This is worth €40 per cow or €1,200 to a suckler farmer with 30 cows. The €23m extra for ANC gives farmers another €250. It is essential that the measures under the new Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot are kept simple and do not involve any unnecessary costs to the farmer.

IFA farmer officers lobbied over 100 TDs and public representatives, from the Taoiseach, the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, and other members of Cabinet.

With a well-researched and credible case, the campaign harnessed support from farmers through our 947-branch structure, our 29 county executives and right up to national and European level.

Despite resistance from many quarters, and pushback from Minister Creed right up to our protest one week before the Budget, IFA members battled hard and never gave up.

The €20m is a start and we need a lot more. Incomes on suckler farms are way too low.

2018 has been extremely difficult, with unviable factory prices below the cost of production; severe weather; much higher costs; and cuts to direct payments.

The Beef Data and Genomic Scheme, which is worth €44m per annum, got bogged down in unnecessary bureaucracy. However, payments of €100 on the first 10 cows and €80 on the remainder cannot not be ignored considering the low levels of income.

Importance of the suckler cow herd

Suckler farming is hugely important to our national economy and is the backbone of our €3 billion beef sector.

There are suckler cows in every rural parish. As part of our campaign, we commissioned a study by UCC Professor Thia Hennessy, which provides these key facts:

÷The fundamental importance of the suckler herd as a major exporter of high-quality prime beef; ÷A 10pc reduction in suckler cow numbers will result in a loss of €305m in economic output in the rural economy;

÷Under the BDGP, we will reduce our GHG emissions on sucklers by 14pc; ÷Every €1 in direct payments to cattle farmers