IFA and IGG Statement After Meeting with Minister McConalogue
The Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA) and the Irish Grain Growers (IGG) met with the Minister for Agriculture yesterday to discuss the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).
The delegation made it clear to the Minister that the decision to suspend the straw chopping scheme was unacceptable and should be overturned.
The Minister offered to arrange a follow up meeting next week but the delegation were insistent that this was too late. They said the Minister must meet with them again today or over the weekend to resolve the matter urgently.
The delegation were determined that the decision by the Minister to suspend the scheme would not be accepted and the decision must be revisited.
They criticised the decision saying it flies in the face of the Food Vision Tillage report, the discussion by the Fodder and Food Security Committee and the recently agreed Farmer’s Charter.
They also said that the Minister’s ability to suspend schemes at the stroke of a pen could affect any farmers and the decision being taken to withdraw this scheme should not have been made after the beginning of the harvest.
