Farming communities in danger of being ‘wiped out’

THE farming community is in danger of being “wiped out” at the hands of the Government after what it described as one of the worst days in recent memory for the vital sector.

Farmers were responding in particular to the Bord Snip Nua report, which has called for a string of cutbacks, coupled with a massive 1,140 job cuts and €305.1 million budget reduction at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

Among the farming-related cuts proposed are the termination of the €44m suckler cow welfare scheme, a €5m increase in disease levies, closure of the rural environment protection schemes and a reduction in department and Teagasc centres from 150 to just 35.

In addition, the report calls for a 30% cut in the disadvantaged area compensatory allowance scheme, a 50% cut in farming education and training programmes by 2011 and the loss of 250 jobs “in the short term” at Teagasc.

Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president Padraig Walshe said the proposals could prove the final straw for the farming industry’s viability. “The latest proposed cuts have effectively wiped out any benefits that farmers received from the last partnership deal, Towards 2016, and is a step too far as farmers revolt across the country.

“A large part of the recommendations to terminate the suckler cow welfare scheme, close REPS and further reduce disadvantaged areas payments have already been imposed on farmers by the Department of Agriculture, who are in denial about the impact they are having on farm family incomes.

“These cuts will effectively wipe out the viability of thousands of farm families living across the remotest parts of rural Ireland and confine them to the already overburdened dole queues.

“The implications of imposing these cuts will destabilise the entire farming and agri-food sector at a time when the Government should be supporting and encouraging the industry to deliver on its potential to increase exports and jobs in this country,” he said.

If the proposals are fully implemented, it could force the farming sector into a situation from which it may find it impossible to recover, he added.

In addition to these cuts, the report recommended that one in six of the 6,200 people employed at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food be cut from the payroll.

The department’s budget and administration levels should also be cut by 10% while privatisation of forestry body Coillte – which owns 7% of Irish land and 70% of the country’s forests – should be considered.