Clare’s farming representatives claim they must be financially rewarded for the sacrifices they have made to keep up food production while achieving climate goals.
On budget eve, calls are growing for urgent supports to sustain the over 6,000 farm holdings in this county alone.
Although average herd sizes grew in the last year, emissions on Irish farms fell by 1.2%.
The findings were contained in Teagasc’s sustainability survey for 2022, which shows that Dairy was once again the powerhouse for Irish Agircultural.
Dairy was found to have netted €2,300 per hectare on family farms last year, while farmers put in on average 2,657 hours per annum.
However, with agriculture expected to be allocated 2.5% of tomorrow’s budget pot, the Clare Chair of the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Association claims the emphasis must be placed on making work pay.
In the last twelve months, the average price farmers recieved for milk fell by 22cent per litre, which according to ICMSA analysis has led to a loss of €42million in this county alone.
Clare Chair and O’Callaghans Mills farmer Martin McMahon says the sector cannot survive if producers are still at the mercy of supermarket chains.
Clare’s IFA Chair meanwhile believes the effects of the residential zoned land tax must be negated in tomorrow’s budget.
Landowners with greenfield or brownfield sites here that have been identified as suitable for residential use will be liable for a 3% tax on the value of their zoned land from 2024.
However, Parteen Farmer Tom Lane believes the burden on families using their farms on a full time basis will be unsustainable.
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