The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 18 Jan, 2024

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Sep, 2023 to 31 Dec, 2023

Specific Details Unharvested Crops

Intended results To highlight the problematic year experienced on all tillage farms with the weather proving especially difficult in March, April, July and September. To emphasise that the proposed emergency financial support announced by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine equated to €1,148 per tillage farmer based on average tillage farm size of 41ha (Teagasc NFS 2022) meaning that this payment only accounts for a fraction (3%) of the estimated €42,876 income drop for Irish tillage farmers in 2023 compared with 2022. To highlight that the situation is at crisis point on farms which have cereal crops still be harvested by mid-October. The financial implications for growers who have unharvested crops are extremely serious. The cost of production excluding land charge for spring barley and spring oats in 2023 was €1589 and €1568 per hectare respectively (Teagasc Costs and Returns, 2023). IFA analysis estimates the losses on an unharvested spring barley crop including a land charge exceed €2200 per hectare. To demonstrate that Spring barley has proved to be disproportionally affected, principally due to late sowing dates in April and May - - Teagasc have estimated that at least 45% of the national spring barley was planted after mid-April. The knock-on effect of this is delayed maturity and many crops were still unripe during the warm weather in early September. - Rainfall in the remaining three weeks of September was significantly above average in the east and south of the country. Figures from Met Eireann synoptic network show all stations in these regions reported in excess of 170% expected monthly rainfall for September. - This made harvesting almost impossible and only further reduced yield and quality. - October has seen further heavy rainfall in the south of the country and ground conditions have severely deteriorated in many fields. To highlight that total losses arising from crop losses due to weather conditions are estimated to be circa €9m. - This is in addition to the estimated drop in overall tillage farmer income of over €260m compared with 2022 To emphasise that an exceptional aid package is needed for farmers who have unharvested crops remaining in fields as well as farmers who salvaged crops but still incurred substantial losses from October 1st onwards. To propose that an aid payment of €1000/ha is necessary to mitigate financial losses for an unharvested crop and €500/ha for crops salvaged after October 1st. To propose that farmers with unbaled straw still remaining on the ground in 2023 should qualify for a straw incorporation payment of €250/ha. To propose that all applicants for the 2024 Straw Incorporation Measure should be accepted into the scheme. To propose that a Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) backed low-cost loan scheme is put in place to help affected tillage farmers financially recover from losses sustained in 2023. Tillage is environmentally sustainable and loss-making growers must be supported to remain active in the sector. To welcome the support payments for growers with unharvested crops announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. Growers will be eligible for up to €20,000 in aid payments for crops which were unable to be harvested due to the very unsettled weather conditions in September and October. - The IFA National Grain Committee worked to identify growers throughout the country who had unharvested crops. This national data was then submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. - The eligible area for unharvested spring cereal crops is between 2-20ha, with a payment of €1,000/ha available.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Kieran McEvoy IFA Grain Chair, John Murphy IFA Grain Vice Chair, Max Potterton IFA Grain Policy Executive

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Submission (1)

Social Media (2-5)

Informal communication (2-5)

Meeting (1)

Phone call (1)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Amii McKeever Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Johnny Mythen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Louise Byrne Deputy Chief Inspector (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Lynn Boylan Senator (Seanad)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Deirdre Clune MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)