The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 19 May, 2024

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Jan, 2024 to 30 Apr, 2024

Specific Details Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Programme

Intended results That the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine comes forward with a comprehensive support package for the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Programme, as farmers costs for testing soar. To highlight that there have been increases of 35 cent to the BVD test. Postage has increased almost three-fold since testing became mandatory in 2013, leaving farmers paying well over €2 more for each test. To demonstrate how farmers entered the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Programme in good faith; they have invested close on €120m and met their obligations, bringing it to within touching distance of recognised BVD Freedom. It is now time for the Minister to play his part and set out his funding proposals for 2024 and future years To propose that payments for last year of just €2/sample for a maximum of 25 samples per farm must be built on to cover the full extent of the testing costs which farmers have carried since the start of the programme, as this is effectively eroded following the latest cost increases To insist that the successful conclusion of the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) programme from a farmers' perspective will be critical in determining if there is a future role for the Animal Health Ireland (AHI) model and the levels of support, if any, for tackling issues such as Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR). To highlight how furious farmers are at the lack of Government support for the Bovine Viral diarrhea (BVD) programme to-date and the behaviour of Animal Health Ireland (AHI) in recent weeks and months in relation to the approach to Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR). Both the Minister and AHI have a job of work to do to restore farmers' confidence in the AHI model. The starting point for this is a satisfactory response to the on-farm testing costs for BVD. To highlight farmers' frustration over Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) funding shortfall.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Damian McDonald IFA Director General, T J Maher IFA Animal Health Chair, David Hall IFA Monaghan Animal Health Chair

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)

Phone call (1)

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.

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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)

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)

Robbie Gallagher Senator (Seanad)

Brendan Gleeson Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)