ICMSA: There must be no further cuts to farm support schemes

There must be no further cuts to farm support schemes, Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association president John Comer warned yesterday.

Speaking at the ICMSA annual general meeting in Limerick Racecourse, he asked why are these schemes not protected like the wage levels of public servants. “Where is our Croke Park agreement?” said Mr Comer.

He said that farm incomes have taken a severe hit this year and the Government must acknowledge this by maintaining funding levels for farm schemes.

Regarding the future of the Common Agricultural Policy, he said this is a key issue not just for Irish farmers, but also the whole nation, given its proportionate importance.

“It is quite clear to me that those member states advocating cuts to the EU budget — and, in turn, Cap — have got the upper hand and I am very concerned at this stage that the overall Cap budget and Ireland’s share is facing a substantial cut,” said Mr Comer.

“Irish farmers cannot afford a cut. We’ve taken serious hits at national level and we simply can’t afford further hits at EU level.

“Since the introduction of the Single Farm Payment, the payment has already been cut by 13% and farmers have suffered another 0.9% cut this year.”

Mr Comer called on the pro-CAP lobby to acknowledge the prevailing atmosphere and press harder for a bar to further cuts to the budget beyond those proposed by the EU Commission.

“A national effort is required in this regard and the debate regarding a model of distribution should take place after we know our allocation,” he said.

Describing 2012 as an extremely difficult year for farmers, Mr Comer said atrocious weather conditions were compounded by reduced output prices and increased input costs. The current cash-flow crisis for farmers was unprecedented.

“Over the next year — and indeed, next week in the budget — major decisions will be taken at EU and national level in relation to agriculture,” said Mr Comer.

“We are dependent on our ministers to fight our cause at all levels because the outcome of these negotiations will decide our very future in farming and the role of the agri-food sector in the Irish economy.”

Mr Comer warned that the family farm structure as it is known in Ireland is under major threat and policy decisions taken over the next 12 months will decide whether this model — the Irish family farm — will be able to survive as a backbone of the way of life in rural Ireland in the way it has for 150 years.

He also warned that farmers are not going to become “busy fools” for the benefit of processors and retailers.

EU policy must ensure that farmers get their fair share of the return in the supply chain, which was not happening at present.

Mr Comer said that input costs are also becoming a bigger issue year after year for farmers.

“We must try and control the costs of farming in Ireland and ensure that they do not rise faster than our competitors — and by competitors, I mean not just farmers in other EU member states but on the world stage,” he said.