“Absolutely damning,” Mayo TD warns of farming exodus

Mayo TD Paul Lawless has warned of a potential mass exodus from farming after a new survey found that one in three farmers intend to leave the sector within the next five years.

Deputy Lawless described the findings, commissioned by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) and Agriland, as “absolutely damning”.

He said he had repeatedly warned at the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee that farmers would leave the sector if farming was not made economically viable.

According to the survey, 80% of farmers expect their income to fall this year, while one in three said they plan to leave farming within five years.

Farmers also highlighted the burden of regulation and paperwork, along with concerns over the lack of predictable or reliable income from year to year.

The Aontú TD said the decline of small Irish farms could have serious consequences and called for immediate action to support farmers.

He said the Government should support an Aontú Bill aimed at establishing a minimum price for beef.

“Irish produce is second to none, and Irish farmers are the best and most sought after in the world,” Deputy Lawless said. “One thing the government could do to help is support Aontú’s bill which seeks to set a floor below the price of beef, to make it illegal for the factories and supermarkets to pay a price for beef which is below the cost of production.”

He also called for reform of the taxation system, arguing that the current arrangements do not adequately reflect the fluctuating nature of farm incomes.

Deputy Lawless said farmers can find themselves paying high taxes based on the previous year’s profits while also facing tax demands based on predicted income, despite the possibility of a poorer year ahead.

He said farmers who use alternative tax calculation methods can face harsh penalties if their income predictions are inaccurate.

“This needs urgent reform,” he concluded.