Longford farmers "will not sign up to the Food Vision Dairy and Beef/Sheep Group reports"

Following a recent meeting of IFA National Council, IFA President Tim Cullinan said that IFA will not sign up to the Food Vision Dairy and Beef/Sheep Group reports as they stand.

He’s seeking a meeting with Minister McConalogue to resolve outstanding issues.
“While a lot of good work has gone into these reports, the reality is that a lot has changed since these sub groups were established. We have had the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, which has raised real concerns about food security,” he said.

“In addition, the Minister has agreed with the EU Commission to a review of the Nitrates Action Programme in 2023. As part of this, he has conceded that the upper limit on the derogation may be reduced to 220kgs of organic nitrogen from its current limit of 250kgs. He conceded this without any consultation whatsoever with IFA,” he said.

“This, along with other aspects of the Nitrates Action Programme, could have a significant impact on cattle numbers and farmers’ incomes. It will also have unintended consequences in the land market and impact every sector including tillage,” he said.