An IFA delegation, led by President Tim Cullinan, recently presented the association’s pre-Budget priorities to the Minister for Agriculture.
“At the outset, we made it clear to the Minister that his plan to delay payments to farmers this year is totally unacceptable and must be revisited,” Mr Cullinan said.
The IFA President said the focus of the delegation was on measures needed to combat deflated output prices and inflationary pressures, and to restore viability to low-income farms.
IFA Farm Business Chair Rosemary McDonagh also called on the Minister to ensure that all agri tax reliefs were renewed. The issue of 0 per cent VAT on non-oral animal medicines was also raised.
Among the other issues raised, IFA Rural Development Chairman Michael Biggins also highlighted the need for additional funding for ACRES applicants as well as a new national suckler scheme to replace BEEP-s.
