Strong representation needed to protect farmers’ interests

THE revised Irish submission on the Nitrates Directive has gone some way towards recognising some of the practicalities of farming.

It took the main farming bodies working together, the withdrawal of two farmers’ organisations from partnership talks, an intensive lobbying campaign, and warnings of implications in the general election to get some recognition for common sense.

At least, it has established that there is still some political clout left in farming. More significantly, the episode exposed the lack of understanding, and — dare we say it — the lack of concern for the viability of Irish farming for some members of the government.