IFA Announces Farm Shutdown For Day Of Action – Fight For The Future Of Family Farming

Following an unanimous decision by the IFA Executive Council this week, IFA
President John Bryan has announced Tuesday, October 9th as a major Day of
Action to ‘Fight for the Future of Family Farming’. As part of the Day of
Action, farmers will be asked to shut down by not allowing produce to leave
their farms on the day. The wider agri and processing sector will be
asked to support IFA’s Day of Action to defend the incomes of family
farming. A protest in Dublin will highlight the escalating cost/price
squeeze on farm incomes, and send a clear message to the Government on the
need to defend the full CAP Budget in Europe and retain national funding
for income-related farm schemes.

John Bryan called on everybody connected with the agri-food sector to
support the Day of Action to drive home the message that the Government and
the EU Commission must fully support primary production and rural
communities. “The negotiations on the CAP post-2013 are up for decision
soon and the EU Budget is under threat. The Irish Government must retain
100% of Ireland’s national envelope from Europe so that the Single Farm
Payment and Rural Development measures are maintained.”

Mr Bryan said, “Previous cuts to farm schemes have been totally
disproportionate, and are now hitting the lowest income sector of
agriculture hard. Farmers are sending a message to Minister Coveney that he
cannot cut the schemes any further”. He said farm families are already
finding it extremely difficult to cope with the extra costs and taxes
imposed on them, which are impacting negatively on incomes and
competitiveness in the private productive sector.

He said, “The consequences of the disastrous summer and the escalating
input costs has put massive pressure on farm incomes, and the Government
have failed totally in its promise to farmers to address the dominance of
the retail multiples through effective regulation.”

The IFA President said farming supports 300,000 jobs and €9bn of exports in
the economy. “However, the sector will not be able to reach its growth
potential if farm incomes are not defended at home and in Brussels, and
unless the retailers are challenged. The future of our rural economy
depends on a viable farming sector. The Day of Action on October 9th is an
opportunity for all farm families to take a stand and secure their future.”