Month: July 2012

In a submission to the Capital Asset Test Implementation Group, the ICSA highlighted several key issues, including:

• Capital assets of farms versus access to funds
• Family Farm Income lower than PAYE workers
• Socio-economic factors which lead to observed third level transfer statistics
• Higher costs of living in centres of higher education
• Overall geographic variations in third level transfers
• The relationship of higher education to the Knowledge Economy and Rural Development
• Major impacts of reduced access to grants

In a submission to the Department, the ICSA advocated government policies which would facilitate farmers in expanding their operations whilst at the same time contributing to environmental protection, which is of notable importance to ‘Brand Ireland’. In summary, the ICSA stated that a substantial agri-environment scheme needs to be put in place to replace REPS. Additionally, ICSA recommended that expansion of any farm product needs to be in line with an increase in viable markets. Furthermore, ICSA strongly advocated that Ireland needs to engage more at international level to have the focus for agriculture shifted away from blunt emissions targets.