Government has failed farmers, new IFA president claims 

IFA president Francie Gorman makes his first speech to IFA National Council members at the IFA AGM in the Farm Centre in Dublin. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke

Farmers have been failed by the government, the new President of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has claimed as he sent a warning to the Coalition ahead of upcoming elections.

In his first speech as president at the 69th AGM of the IFA, Francie Gorman also strongly criticised Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.

Mr Gorman said farmers feel abandoned by the Coalition government. He said all political parties should not take farmers for granted.

He noted the upcoming local and European elections in June and a general election due by March 2025.

Mr Gorman told a packed crowd at the Irish Farm Centre in Dublin that the handling of the cut to Ireland’s nitrates derogation for farmers was “shambolic”.

He also hit out at Mr McConalogue over delayed payments to farmers and took aim at retailers who he said are “up to their old tricks” by discounting quality food.

The new IFA president called on retailers to publish their data on their margins and profits. 

He said “nobody is fooled by their claim that they take the hit", adding that farmers do. He said if retailers do not publish their profits, the new Agri-Food Regulator has to insist they do so.

Mr Gorman said the government has failed to support primary producers since it came into office at a time when farmers' livelihoods are “under most threat". 

He said delays to ACRES payments for farmers are “completely unacceptable".

“While others, rightly, received Christmas bonuses and top-ups from the State, farmers were left in the lurch," he said. 

“Some received no payments at a time of the year when cash flow was under most pressure. This has been an abject failure of the Minister and his Department."

He also said the ACRES programme in its current form does not deliver and an updated scheme with payments of up to €15,000 is required. He said farmers must be rewarded for the “positive role” they play in delivering the country’s environmental ambition.

'Farmers are the unsung heroes'

Another example of this is the handling of the Government’s policy in the forestry sector, he said.

“Too often, how we are portrayed is both inaccurate and unfair. For me, Irish farmers are the unsung heroes of the climate and biodiversity debate," he said.

“My message for those who spend their time knocking farmers, we are not going to stop producing top quality, sustainable food,” he added. Both Mr McConalogue and the Taoiseach are due to address the AGM later today.

Mr Gorman accused the EU of trying to undermine the country’s competitive advantage by designing regulations that do not give fair credit to Ireland’s grass-based system.

He said a typical example of this was the recent Nitrates debacle.

Mr Gorman said: “Our Minister and his Department agreed to a completely flawed review mechanism, which resulted in our derogation going from 250kg to 220kg of organic nitrogen per hectare for most parts of the country.

“This Government, and the one which succeeds it, must fight for Irish farming and our sustainable grass-based system,” he said.

He said farm incomes will be the number one priority during his term as President with the IFA and said the government needs to fight for a larger CAP budget.

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Mr Gorman also said he wants to “put down a marker” on the Government’s agenda to make plans for farmers’ land. He said farmers are increasingly concerned about being “taken for granted” by the State and some private developers on infrastructure projects such as roads, Greenways, electricity lines, and pipelines.

He claimed re-wetting, designation, the Zoned Land Tax, and the Land Use Review are all attempts to undermine farmers’ rights to farm their land.

He added: “76% of the land in this country is held by farmers. It is not owned by the State, it's ours, and we will not allow it to be confiscated by stealth.

“I have a clear message for this Government and future Governments; hands off our land.”