Specific Details
Input Costs Inflation
Intended results
To highlight that IFA will be hosting an online webinar to look at the key issue for farmers in 2022 the cost of inputs.
To highlight that " Input price challenges – Impact, Outlook & Strategies to mitigate" Webinar will assess the year ahead and provide strategies to offset rising costs.
To highlight that Family farms could be overwhelmed by the steep increases in costs such as feed, energy and fertiliser. To ensure that the EU Commission, Government and industry respond quickly and offer tangible financial supports such as the removal of EU anti-dumping duties and low-cost finance options, to minimise cashflow pressure on-farm.
To call on Minister McConalogue and his officials to look at financial support packages, not only for the pig sector, but for all those hit by these phenomenal input price surges.
To highlight that we hope that this virtual event will provide some practical insights and tips to help farm families overcome these challenges.
To highlight that a whole of industry approach on spiralling input costs would be needed, calling on all stakeholders to do their part to ensure that farmers aren't the ones left carrying all the risk and full cost of these phenomenal prices.
To highlight that Input suppliers need to quickly pass any reductions back to farmers; banks must be flexible and take an understanding approach; the EU Commission needs to remove anti-dumping duties; and the Government has to be proactive with innovative support packages and quickly introduce the Food Regulator to give farmers a fair share.
To highlight that sheep farmers must be allowed use all lands at their disposal to produce food. Restrictions in particular in the GLAS scheme must be removed on wild bird cover, traditional hay meadows and low input grassland to ensure we can maximise our grass growth.
To highlight that the emphasis must be on maximising resources to grow grass and there must be an additional contingency plan in place for sheep farmers should there be any impact on store sales emanating from reduced volumes of feed or grass grown this year.
To highlight that the potential shortages in fertiliser and feed could have very serious implications for sheep farmers if the sector is not recognised and supported. Sheep farming is an extremely low-income sector and the current levels of input cost increases cannot be absorbed.
To highlight that a key aspect of sheep farming for a significant number of farmers is the store lamb trade. This trade is dependent on grass supplies and will be the first to suffer if there is any reduction of grass production or redirection of land use over the year, or availability of compound feeds.
To highlight that rapidly rising inputs costs could put the supply of milk on shop shelves next winter in real jeopardy.
To highlight that retailers must increase the retail price of milk and pass the entire differential back to the primary producer. Price won't be as a big a concern if retailers cannot secure a sufficient supply of fresh milk this winter.
To highlight that incentives to grow extra tillage are important, but the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue must ensure these measures, and those to grow extra fodder, don't displace cattle rearing and finishing systems.
To seek that the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue comes forward immediately with a financial package for suckler farmers and cattle finishers from the €48m fund to allow key breeding and management decisions be taken that will maintain our supply chain of the highest quality beef in this critical time of food insecurity.
To highlight that without an immediate increase in the wholesale retail price, to be passed back to egg and chicken producers, the entire sector is in jeopardy.
To highlight that the unprecedented and unabated rise in input costs is causing huge concern for potato growers and without immediate intervention, threatens the 2022 crop.
To highlight that potatoes are the only fresh commodity which experienced price deflation at retail level in 2021. In the year to December 2021, the average retail price of potatoes declined by 4.7%. The office for Fairness and Food Transparency must be established as a matter of urgency and given powers to safeguard sectors such as the potato and horticultural sector which are completely exposed to retailers.
To highlight that the updated report issued by Teagasc should focus the mind of the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue on the challenges faced by sheep farmers and the need for immediate interventions to support the sector.
To call on the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and sheep factories to come forward with a number of measures and commitments as a matter of urgency to ensure sheep farmers can plan for the year ahead.
To highlight that the phased exit of Ulster Bank from the market is also creating another layer of complexity for many. Existing financial providers, in addition to Ulster Bank, need to ensure that adequate resources and supports are devoted to ensuring the smooth transition of its customers and any associated banking facilities/services.
To highlight that the Suckler and Beef Sector isthe most exposed to the impacts of Brexit and while the full impact of market access and UK trade deals has yet to be determined, beef farmers are already impacted by sterling volatility and market disruption from stockpiling of products in December 2020, which led to beef price drops in early 2021.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Liam MacHale IFA European Director, Harold Kingston IFA Munster Regional Chair, Rose Mary McDonagh IFA Farm Business Committee Chair, Kevin Comiskey IFA Sheep Chair, Robert Malone Senior IFA Policy Executive, Niamh Brennan IFA Horticulture Policy Executive, Keith O'Boyle IFA Liquid Milk Chair, Brendan Golden IFA Livestock Chair, Nigel Sweetman IFA Poultry Chair, Brendan Soden IFA Poultry Vice Chair, Sean Ryan IFA Potato Chair.
Martin Browne
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Jackie Cahill
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Matt Carthy
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Michael Collins
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Michael Fitzmaurice
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Joe Flaherty
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Paul Kehoe
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Brian Leddin
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Michael Ring
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Victor Boyhan
Senator (Seanad)
Lynn Boylan
Senator (Seanad)
Paul Daly
Senator (Seanad)
Tim Lombard
Senator (Seanad)
Denis O'Donovan
Senator (Seanad)
Barry Andrews
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)
Deirdre Clune
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)
Seán Kelly
MEP (European Parliament)
Holly Cairns
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Brendan Gleeson
Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)