IFA: Income levels and cash flow at crisis point on farms after winter

INCOME levels and cash flow are at crisis point on tens of thousands of farms following the worst winter in decades, according to IFA president John Bryan who warned farmers are in danger of going broke.

Mr Bryan called on beef, dairy and pig processors immediately to secure increases across all commodity prices to help alleviate the crisis. In addition, he said input costs must be reduced dramatically. The IFA president again called on the banks to support farm families by extending credit to get them through this critical period.

Mr Bryan said the combined impact of bad weather, fodder difficulties, higher costs and loss-making prices had squeezed the finances of farm families dry.