Tillage industry in need of support as drought continues

DROUGHT continues to impact tillage farmers severely, with recent rain coming as too little, too late for many crops.

That’s according to IFA Grain Chairman Mark Browne, who has called on merchants and feed mills to prioritise Irish grain and pay ‘sustainable’ prices to tillage farmers.

“It is estimated that barley straw availability will reduce by 300,000 tonnes and wheaten straw by 200,000 tonnes compared to last year. This is almost a 50 per cent reduction in supply,” he said.

“Quality assured Irish grain must not continue to be dictated by the price of third-country feedstuffs, which do not conform to the regulatory and environmental standards, demanded by the EU Commission and the Irish Government”.

“The Farm to Fork Strategy element of the European Green Deal is aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly.

“There is nothing fair about targets in the Green Deal, which will increase the regulatory burden and undermine local tillage framers while continuing to allow access to non-EU feedstuffs produced to different standards.”

Mr Browne has also called for a proactive approach from government as the industry faces into a difficult period, and he said that the Common Agricultural Policy in its current form is not making life any easier for tillage farmers in this country.

“They [the Government] cannot ignore the strategic importance of the sector to the broader agricultural industry, and the critical role native grains play in Ireland’s food provenance credentials, in addition to its low carbon footprint,” Mr Browne explained.

“Irish tillage farmers were disproportionately affected by the current CAP due to convergence and greening measures; therefore, any further reduction in supports or increased regulation under CAP 2020 cannot be tolerated.”