Over-regulation ‘hurting farmers’

FARMERS believe that they are being inspected out of business by excessive regulations, the ICMSA deputy president John O’Leary claimed yesterday.

With over 1,200 farmers penalised in 2005, he said the ICMSA considers that farmers are fully justified in holding that view.

Mr O’Leary said the single farm payment now represents over 100% of many farmers’ incomes. This must be recognised in the implementation of these regulations.

“It is essential that a system of tolerances be put in place for all regulations that take account of the possibility of genuine mistakes being made by farmers,” he said.