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ICSA WELCOMES MINISTER’S POSITION ON CRISIS RESERVE FUND

Jun 3, 2016 | Press Releases | 0 comments

2 JUNE 2016

-Cattle and sheep farmers cannot carry the can for dairy losses

ICSA president Patrick Kent has welcomed the sensible rejection by Minister Creed of the crisis reserve fund as a means of supporting dairy farmers. “Raiding the crisis reserve fund to solve one income crisis while ignoring the long-term income difficulties of cattle and sheep farmers is not a solution. Cattle and sheep farmers cannot carry the can for dairy farmer losses. It is the worst form of three card trick where a few winners create an illusion that the whole process is in farmers’ overall interests.” 

“Fortunately, Minister Creed is on the one page with ICSA. Genuine solutions do not involve robbing Peter to pay Paul. While we have every sympathy with the pressure that all farmers are under, a refund of the crisis reserve deduction to low income cattle and sheep farmers must be delivered.  This is essential given that their average income is estimated by the Teagasc National Farm Survey as being in the range €12-16,000. Cattle and sheep farmers cannot carry their dairy farmer neighbours and it is up to the EU Commission to come up with sustainable and practical solutions to help with the dairy crisis.”

However, the root of the income difficulties faced by all farmers is the ever increasing greed of large scale corporations in the processing and retailing sectors who are cashing in on marginal over-supply scenarios and squeezing the margins for the primary producer at every turn.  ICSA wants to see regulation of multinational retailers which will involve auditing their books to see who gets what in terms of margin.  We must have scrutiny of who is taking excess margin.  This is especially evident at present when low producer prices are not being reflected in the price the consumer pays.” 

ENDS

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CONVENING OF NFFSC MUST KICKSTART EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO WEATHER RELATED DIFFICULTIES FACING FARMERS

ICSA president Sean McNamara has said the convening of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) tomorrow must kick start an emergency response to the ongoing difficulties facing farmers amidst continuing heavy rainfall. “With any hope of an early spring well and truly dashed and any fodder reserves dwindling fast it is clear this committee needs to rapidly reassess the current situation on the ground, including the extent of the fodder shortages and the impact of continued wet weather on farming operations,” he said.

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