IFA demonstration set for Nenagh
North Tipperary IFA will take part in an ‘IFA Nationwide Day of Action’ on this Friday, June 11.
The ‘Action’ will begin at 11am in Nenagh and will last for approximately one hour from start to finish.
Nenagh is a hugely important agricultural town with our mart, Arrabawn Co-op, ABP and many other agri-businesses, stated North Tipperary IFA Chairperson, Imelda Walsh.
She added: “We are aware of how difficult the last 16 months have been for local businesses trying to trade through Covid restrictions and I want to reassure them that Friday’s action will cause minimal disruption.
“Our farming community has always been very supportive of local business and every €4 a farmer gets €3 goes into the rural economy. We would appreciate support from our local businesses in respect of Friday’s action.”
Ms Walsh said the action will focus on CAP reform and the Climate Action Bill. “Both of these will hit our most active, productive and viable farmers.
“Agriculture is of huge importance to our rural towns and villages in Tipperary as it provides thousands of jobs both directly in food and drink processing and also in the wider agri-industry, including input suppliers, agricultural contractors, auctioneering, accountancy, veterinary and many others."
Ms Walsh said the value of agriculture exports for Tipperary is almost €1 billion..
The CAP negotiations were adjourned without a deal which is the best outcome for now,” she said.
“Our President Tim Cullinan was in Brussels for the talks where he had discussions with the Minister for Agriculture, the Commissioner for Agriculture, the President of the EU Council in addition to Commissioner McGuinness and other Irish MEP’s where he outlined strongly the effects the proposed proposals were going to have on Irish farming families.
“Currently only 34% of Irish farms are viable and the current proposals threaten their viability.”
With regard to the Climate Action Bill, Ms Walsh said farmers will not allow their sector to be scapegoated. “Our farms sequester carbon with our hedgerows, grass and our forestry sector and this has to be included in the calculations.”
She concluded: “We will not allow a situation whereby there is no accounting of carbon removals. Similarly with regard to biogenic methane, this gas cannot be compared to other greenhouse gases such as co2 as it’s a short-lived gas which is part of the natural cycle and doesn’t contribute to additional global warming once it’s at equilibrium.
“Ireland is the most carbon efficient country in producing dairy and in the top five in producing beef and if our farmers are restricted from producing food it will be produced in a country with a much lower carbon footprint, thus causing carbon leakage.”