IFA warns proposed budget cuts to agri-food supports will hit recovery

AGRICULTURE and rural businesses will be hamstrung in their efforts to drive economic recovery if proposed budget cuts go ahead, warns IFA president John Bryan.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has told farm lobbyists they are in for a “reality check” if they believe that existing agri-food supports will be retained intact in the harsh December Budget.

The minister said every Government department will face cutbacks in the budget. There will be no exemption from cuts for agriculture, with another harsh budget anticipated next year. Nonetheless, he remains optimistic the sector can continue to expand.

Responding to Mr Coveney’s “reality check” comments at the launch of the IFA’s pre-Budget submission, Mr Bryan said the minister would be turning his back on agriculture if he accepts the cuts that are proposed for the sector in the upcoming budget.

Mr Bryan said: “Farmers cannot accept Minister Coveney caving in to disproportionate cuts on agriculture, which would mean farm families being hit on the double with cuts on the one hand, and taxes and levies on the other.

“Savings must be found in the public finances, but the ‘reality’ is the cuts proposed for the agriculture budget are far in excess of those proposed for any other Government department.

“It would be totally unacceptable if the minister is willing to find these savings by directly hitting farm incomes through cuts to farm schemes,” he added.

Mr Bryan said that there are significant savings available in the agriculture budget for next year, adding that the minister must “lay it on the line” to his cabinet colleagues and tell them that there is a limit to the savings that the sector can reasonably find.

Meanwhile, Macra na Feirme has met with EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos to seek measures to support young farmers’ succession into farm ownership — which was also a main goal in the IFA’s pre-budget submission.

Macra’s agricultural affairs committee chairman, Eric Driver, said: “There is no doubt that there is room for improvement in the EU Commission’s leaked proposals for supporting young farmers. However, the shift in how policy deals with young farmers and the principle of supporting young farmers directly in the Single Farm Payment is very positive and is to be welcomed.”

Speaking at the opening of CEJA’s (the European Council of Young Farmers) Young Farmer photo exhibition, Mr Ciolos outlined the importance of supporting young farmers.

Mr Driver also said it was heartening to hear comments from EU Commission official, Yves Madre, who attended a CAP working group organised by CEJA.

Mr Madre emphasised the importance for young farmers that the current thinking [in the draft proposals on the young farmer top-up] be carried through to the final proposals and provide for a mandatory top up in the Single Farm Payment.