Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, today at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin fortified his commitment to the Irish tillage sector by committing to deliver €100/ha to all farmers that plant field crops in 2024.
Minister McConalogue in his speech to delegates said:
“I want to help tillage farmers have the confidence to plant in 2024, so I am committing that I will find a mechanism to support any farmer that puts seed in the soil this year.
“Tillage farmers are fearful, unsure of what or when it will be possible to plant their crops and what it will be possible to yield, as the weather continues to impact. Fianna Fáil is absolutely committed to increasing our tillage area and despite the restraints of my existing budget I am committing to deliver €100/hectare for tillage farmers who plant field crops in 2024.
Speaking of what he has delivered for farmers, Minister McConalogue commented:
“I traversed every county and corner of this country to deliver a CAP that was fair to all our farm families no matter what their farm type of their farm size. Since October, €1.8bn in payments from this CAP has flowed into our rural areas and this will continue annually over the course of the programme.
“Fianna Fáil in Government delivered a 50% increase in funding for CAP and our Programme for Government commitments for farmers are all being delivered. But, we are also delivering for rural Ireland when it is challenged unexpectedly - as it is right now with the weather.”
Outlining the recent supports put in place due to the weather, the Minister said:
“I committed over €100 million to fodder supports over the last two years. This built-up stocks on farms meaning we don’t have a national shortage like we did when the weather hit us hard such as most recently in 2018. I also acted decisively pausing non-essential inspections and tasking Teagasc with coordinating the movement of fodder supplies between farmers. This week I introduced an economic support measure to facilitate the transport of fodder.
“Many farmers feel maligned and like second class citizens. That is wrong and a narrative that must be stopped in its tracks. I want to see farmers confident in what they do, confident in what deliver and confident in the future of their industry. I am both listening and acting and that is why today I am making this commitment to our tillage sector.”
ENDS