Category: Farming
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BioFarm 2022 focuses on future of regenerative farming
The National Organic Training Skillnet (NOTS) welcomed Minister Pippa Hackett to open its fifth annual Biological Farming Conference – BioFarm 2022 yesterday (Monday 7th November 2022). The core focus of the event is on biological and regenerative farming. Each day a different theme will be covered, and the speakers will explore several key issues facing […]
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Increased TB Compensation Rates Need To Be Applied Immediately – ICMSA
Speaking following the latest Financial TB Working Group Meeting, Mr. Des Morrison, Chairperson of the ICMSA Livestock Committee stated that the Income Supplement increases on the table from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine are welcome and will certainly improve the financial situation for those impacted by the scourge of TB. ICMSA has […]
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Urgent Support Needed to Secure Future of Sheep Sector
IFA Sheep Chairman Kevin Comiskey said the Dept of Agriculture’s Annual Review and Outlook 2022 clearly sets out the crisis facing sheep farms as market prices fail to reflect the higher production costs on farms. He said prices are currently 23c/kg behind last year’s levels or almost €5/lamb, despite the enormous input cost increases of […]
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Farmers Need Support to Deal with Unprecedented Input Cost Hike
Today’s CSO figures show that better prices for farm commodities are being wiped out by unprecedented increases in the cost of inputs. Even though prices paid to farmers are up nearly 30%, the hike in input costs is running at 40%. IFA Farm Business Chair Rose Mary McDonagh said ‘It’s simply just not sustainable at […]
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Immediate Increase in Pig Price Needed to Offset Record Losses
“Pig farmers have been haemorrhaging money since September 2021 and losses have risen to €40 per pig sold,” he said. Since the introduction of the IFA’s DNA scheme, the Irish pig price has been at the European average. “We are currently 30c/kg below it. Farmers need an immediate price increase given the very serious crisis […]
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Govt Must Act Now to Save the Irish Pig Sector
“We are staring into the abyss here. Our pig sector is an important part of agriculture in this country, contributing nearly €1bn in exports. However, the sector cannot survive a projected loss of €160m in 2022,” he said. Roy Gallie said the situation could not be more stark. “We are caught in a devastating price/cost […]
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Sheep Farmers Need Support to Keep Store Lamb Trade Going
He said sheep farming is an extremely low-income sector and the current levels of input cost increases cannot be absorbed on our farms. “We must have immediate direct support for sheep farmers to offset the costs of fertiliser, feed and fuel. Availability and cost issues are causing huge concern for farmers. This is further compounded […]
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High Input Costs Threaten Fresh Milk Supply on Our Shelves This Winter
“Producing fresh milk for shop shelves requires farmers to milk their cows all year round at significant extra cost compared to milk which goes for manufacturing. This is now being compounded by the surge in input prices,” he said. “While the price of milk for manufacturing has been going up, this is eating into the […]
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TAMS Costings Not Reflective of Inflation
“We are seeing an unprecedented rise in inflation, meaning the price of building materials such as steel and timber has soared. The current costings, which were updated as far back as March 2021, are completely out of line with the price of materials today, making it impossible for farmers to begin their projects,” he said. […]
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Tillage Measure a Small Step in the Right Direction
He said the target of an extra 25,000 hectares is very modest. With full take up, it would be an increase of less than 10% on what was grown last year, which approximately 300,000ha. “This scheme, along with the establishment of the Food Security and Fodder Committee, is not going to address the real issue […]