Cheap food policy is leading to a farming exodus - INHFA

'Farmers are often on their own working long hours and under pressure to deliver are at a higher risk of a farm accident.'

'If Europe wants to continue with a cheap food policy while demanding higher environmental ambition, it needs to face the reality that the CAP budget will need to increase dramatically.'

Mon, 01 Nov, 2021 - 11:34

Ray Ryan

LOW farm incomes are being blamed for an exodus from the land, especially in the suckler and sheep sectors.

Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) new president Vincent Roddy, who made the claim, said the issue is critical because “every time we lose a farmer, our sector and its lobbying power is weakened.” He told his Association’s recent annual general meeting in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, that low income is being driven by a cheap food policy instigated by the EEC decades ago.

To compensate and ensure food production across Europe, the Common Agricultural Policy was expanded as a mechanism to support this cheap food policy and farmers.

“While this worked for a period of time, to everyone’s benefit, a stagnant CAP budget in recent times has contributed to the fall in incomes and the ongoing exodus from the land,” he said.

Mr Roddy, who is from Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon, said low incomes, and the ever-increasing demands on farmers, is also an unfortunate factor in relation to farm safety.

“Farmers are often on their own working long hours and under pressure to deliver are at a higher risk of a farm accident.

“Add to this the increasing age profile as we struggle to encourage in younger farmers due to low income and you start to understand why farming across Europe is a higher risk sector than the army or police,” he said.

The INHFA leader said if Europe wants to continue with a cheap food policy while demanding higher environmental ambition, it needs to face the reality that the CAP budget will need to increase dramatically.

To not do so is indicating to our farm families that their health and safety don’t matter. This is a priority that needs to be addressed in the very near future.

“Can it be addressed in the upcoming CAP Programme? I don’t know but we have to try,” he said.