Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 May, 2024 to 31 Aug, 2024
Specific Details
Potato Herbicide
Intended results
To emphasise that crucial adaptive measures must be taken to secure the viability of the Irish potato sector. Such measures include a derogation for use of the contact herbicide Diquat.
To highlight that the planting season has been prolonged significantly due to the extensive rainfall during the critical groundwork period of March and April, which means that the potato harvesting season will be inevitably delayed. The incessant wet weather has resulted in an extremely late year. IFA estimate that only 50% of plantings are complete. It is inevitable that it will again be a late year and the possibility of similar challenges to last year being experienced during harvest.
To highlight that light intensities will be remarkably lower than normal conditions when these crops need to be desiccated next September. Alternatives to Diquat include Spotlight, a post-emergence herbicide used to desiccate potato haulms. However, this desiccant is deemed ineffective in comparison to Diquat, particularly given the late season farmers face as a result of the inordinately difficult spring sowing conditions.
To highlight that the decommissioning of Diquat will have significant detrimental effects on the potato sector including
• Further delay of the potato season, leading to very difficult harvesting conditions and higher crop losses.
• Potato farmer margins will be eroded due to lower crop yields.
• The potential growth of the potato sector will be stunted
• Use of alternatives with lower efficacy will in turn cause higher food waste levels due to lower health and condition of potatoes.
• Increased crop losses may lead to potato scarcity and to further food inflation next year.
To emphasise that in accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, there is provision to grant authorisation for emergency use of a plant protection product if required. Given the unprecedented volume of rainfall and the absence of suitable alternatives for the potato sector and the prevailing planting and growing conditions, IFA is requesting an emergency derogation for the Plant Protection Product Diquat from the 1st of August 2024 to the 31st of October 2024.
To propose that, under a potential emergency authorisation for use of Diquat in Ireland, the same risk mitigation measures would apply as per last year's authorisation. In this regard a part rate of the product would be required to desiccate the leaves and then follow on with one of the approved products on the stems. I want to reiterate how important this issue is to the sector and how serious the failure to grant derogation will be to the future viability of the Irish potato industry.
To urgently seek a meeting with the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to discuss a derogation for this year.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Sean Ryan IFA Potato Chair, Niamh Brennan IFA Senior 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.
Informal communication (2-5)
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)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Matt Shanahan
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)