2005 winners, losers for mainstream farmers
Freedom from the shackles of quota restrictions in tillage and livestock farming for the first time in almost a decade and a half led to a re-assessment of production targets.
In dairy farming, the opportunity for expansion with additional quota loomed, as the decline in the number of small and medium scale milk producers accelerated.
But those who expected the elimination of hated bureaucracy were disappointed.
Even more significantly, it was the year during which EU support for mainstream farming was decoupled from production for the first time, which left major winners and losers.
It was the year during which WTO negotiators agreed to end agricultural export refunds by 2013.
It was the year during which farmers realised that quality rather than quantity, at the most economical level of production, is the way forward to face the challenge of world competition.
It was the year during which tillage farmers re-adjusted to the new EU regime, with some quitting cereal production and many reducing their acreage.
It was also the year beet growers were left with only one processing centre, following the closure of the Carlow plant, and the year when changes to the EU sugar regime doomed the industry in Ireland, after half a century.
The three main farming organisations elected new leaders.
Padraig Walshe, County Laois, was elected President of IFA to succeed John Dillon, after the largest ever turnout in an IFA election, with 34,338 farmers casting their vote.
Jackie Cahill, Co Tipperary, succeeded Pat O’Rourke as president of ICMSA. Colm Markey from Co Louth took over in Macra.
There is a Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”
My wish for you is that 2006 will be less interesting for all farmers and their families.
