The biggest threat to Irish farming in half a century is the impact of the Brexit negotiations on farm incomes according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) President, Joe Healy.
Mr Healy made these comments while addressing the 62nd Annual General Meeting of the Irish Farmers’ Association in Dublin.
The IFA President said IFA will also be focussed on the review of the ANC and the opening of the CAP post-2020 negotiations, together with commodity prices and profitability in all sectors.
Joe Healy said with 40% of Ireland's food exports going to the UK, no other member state and no other sector are as exposed in these negotiations.
He stressed that politicians in Dublin and Brussels cannot ignore the ongoing impact of the sterling devaluation and direct aid for the farmers and sectors affected must be on the agenda. Joe Healy also warned politicians against any reduction in the CAP budget as a result of Brexit, saying if EU solidarity means anything, then the budget shortfall must be made good so that farmers are not hit with CAP cuts when the UK leaves.
IFA President, Joe Healy said, "Farmers have taken most of the pain resulting from the weakness of sterling. Beef farmers took a hit of €150m last year from this alone and mushroom growers saw their margins wiped out. These losses are a direct result of a political decision outside farmers’ control and cannot be tolerated."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
