Government failing Waterford tillage farmers as crisis deepens

Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Deputy Conor McGuinness has said that the Government is abandoning the tillage sector and ignoring the serious warning signs coming from farmers across the county and the country.

Speaking after raising the issue in the Dáil last week, Deputy McGuinness said the message from Waterford farmers could not be clearer.

He said they feel unheard, undervalued, and let down by a Government that talks about sustainability but refuses to back it up with action.

“Tillage farming is one of the most efficient, low-carbon and environmentally friendly forms of agriculture we have," said Deputy McGuinness.

"It should be at the heart of any serious climate and food strategy, yet it is being allowed to wither,” he added.

He then referenced conversations he had with those working within the farming sector in Waterford.

“One farmer put it to me last week: ‘The Government says it wants to increase tillage, but the way things are going, there will be none left in Ireland very soon.’ 

"That sentiment is being echoed across the county," said Deputy McGuinness.
"Farmers are facing rising input costs, poor returns, and a complete absence of a level playing field," he added.

Deputy McGuinness then said farmers here are having to compete against those operating in countries where environmental and production standards are lower then here.

“They are being asked to compete against imported grain from third countries outside the EU where environmental and production standards are far lower," he said.

"Much of that grain is genetically modified and grown using chemical agents that are banned here, and shipped halfway across the world," he added.

He said such grain is cheaper "only because it’s less sustainable – not because it’s better or more efficient".

Deputy McGuinness said that meanwhile, Irish tillage farmers who operate to world-leading standards are losing money and in many cases cannot sustain another year of losses. 

He also said the Government’s budget offered “no real help” for farmers who are at breaking point.

“The much-touted €50 million for tillage is not new money – it simply recycles last year’s funding," he said.

"The Minister claims to be developing a new scheme, but farmers in Waterford and throughout the country know there is nothing new in it," he added.

He said the farming sector was disappointed with the Budget and commented: "They were bitterly disappointed by the budget announcement and they do not believe the figures being spun.” 

The Waterford TD said his party is backing the call from farmers and millers for a fair inclusion rate for Irish grain.

“This is a practical, fair proposal where a defined percentage of grain milled in Ireland must be of Irish origin," he said.

"It would create a secure market for home-grown grain, reward sustainability, and reduce dependence on imports," he added.

Deputy McGuinness said he was calling on the Minister to take that proposal seriously, discuss it with his officials, and give it the consideration it deserves.

He added that the crisis in the tillage sector is part of a wider failure of Government policy across agriculture.

“There is no new funding for TAMS, no real support for young farmers or generational renewal, nothing for the beef or suckler sectors, and continued underfunding of the TB eradication and ACRE schemes," he said.

"Farmers are being failed across the board, no matter what way you cut it," he added.

 “Farmers in Waterford and throughout rural Ireland deserve fairness, respect, and a Government that values the family farm and family farming."

He said Sinn Féin will continue to stand with tillage farmers, listen to them, and "work to secure a sustainable, home-grown future for Irish agriculture".