| At a Teagasc meeting in Cavan, Pig and Poultry producers said that they were depending on local TD and Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith to secure the future of their sectors and 14,000 jobs, by extending the existing provisions in the Nitrates Review. IFA Regional Vice President John Waters criticised Tegasc’s failure to set out the devastating economic consequences for the pig and poultry sectors if the phosphorous provisions are not continued. “These sectors employ over 14,000 people, between primary production, processing and associated industries. If the current arrangements are not continued, jobs will be lost and Government targets for 50% growth in output under Food Harvest 2020 will be meaningless.” Cavan IFA Pigs Committee representative Michael Caffrey of Mountnugent, expressed the anger and frustration of producers who fear being wiped out if they are forced to transport slurry over long distances. “The failure to roll over the current arrangements would add €30 million per year in haulage costs to the pig and poultry sectors and producers in this region will go to the wall. The Minister can say goodbye to thousands of jobs on his own doorstep and any talk of expansion from the Government would be a joke.” IFA National Poultry Chairman Alo Mohan of Redhills pointed out that over half of the entire poultry industry is concentrated in Cavan-Monaghan and producer margins simply cannot sustain any additional costs. Ulster/North Leinster Vice President John Waters pointed out that over €2.5 billion has been invested in improving farmyards and farm buildings to comply with the nitrates regulations. “The existing calendar farming requirements are now seen to be totally impractical and must be replaced by sensible arrangements. We also need the continuation of the 250kg nitrates derogation for commercial dairy and beef farmers, the lifting of the ban on winter ploughing for grain growers and a reduction in the available nitrogen levels in spent mushroom compost and farmyard manure.” Concluding, John Waters said, “the Government’s 2020 Strategy contains achievable growth targets, but the potential of agriculture to help drive economic recovery will not be realised if Minister Smith fails to deliver a framework for sustainable growth in the Nitrates review.” |
Thursday, 02 September 2010 12:31