Farming and food business interests advised to revamp
Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA) director Declan O’Brien predicted a period of relative stability in agriculture in the EU following reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
There is much to be positive about for the future of Irish agriculture, he told the APHA and Animal Health Distributors conference.
Slaney Foods general manager Rory Fanning agreed there is reason to be positive but said rationalisation through ruthless competition is needed to root out inefficient overcapacity in the country’s beef and sheep industries. Bringing food safety, quality and value for money to the consumer will only be done through honest and meaningful partnership with farmers and retailers, he said.
Calling for honesty at industry and policy making level, Consumers Association chief executive Dermot Jewell said the recent adulteration of food by Dutch manufacturers undermined consumer confidence.
Predicting that decoupling will bring serious change, he said Irish consumers will no longer support payments unless they see returns in terms of quality.
John Leeson, a large-scale milk producer in south Dublin and Devon, whose farm features on RTÉ’s Celebrity Farm this week, said dairy farmers need a 10,000 gallon increase in quota per farm to stand still at a profit level of 25,000-30,000. He also called for co-operation in industry to minimise collection and processing costs.
