Grassland runner-up award for Rossie farmer

Roscommon farmer Michael Cunniffe was announced as the Drystock Enterprise Category Runner-up of the Grassland Farmer of the Year 2022 at an awards ceremony which took place on Wednesday last at Teagasc Moorepark in Fermoy, Co Cork.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue presented the awards on the night and there was €25,000 in prize money up for grabs across the various categories.

‘Forgotten Farmers’ left waiting

Sinn Féin’s Agriculture spokesperson, Claire Kerrane, has urged Minister Charlie McConalogue to provide details of his Department’s proposed scheme for so-called ‘Forgotten Farmers’.

Kerrane said the Minister’s stated timeframe of ‘a number of months’ was unacceptable and said the farmers, who lost out in supports due to the last recession, had already waited long enough.

Farm succession win for Macra

Commenting following a recent meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Macra National President Elaine Houlihan and Agriculture Affairs Chair Liam Hanrahan said they were pleased with a commitment to review the association’s farm succession scheme.

Explaining that the scheme would financially reward landowners stepping back from farming, Macra said it was hopeful the scheme would be included in the next budget.

IFA delegation meets with Taoiseach

An IFA delegation led by Deputy President Brian Rushe met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar recently with the proposed EU Nature Restora- tion Law top of the agenda.

After the meeting, Brian Rushe said IFA had made it clear to Government that the law proposal must be opposed until a full impact assessment was carried out.

The delegation also questioned why the Brexit Adjustment Fund couldn’t be used for vulnerable sectors and voiced concerns over ‘unacceptable’ plans to delay other farm payments.

Farm families reminded of SUSI deadlines

IFA Farm and Social Affairs Chair Alice

Doyle has reminded farm families of the upcoming closing date and changes to the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) education grants.

Ms Doyle said the grant is an “excellent opportunity” for families to reduce the financial burden around third-level education and highlighted the close dates of June 8th for grant renewals and July 6th for new applications.

“The SUSI Support Desk is open Monday to Friday (9 am – 5.30 pm), excluding public holidays. They can be contacted by phone on 0818 888777 or by email on support@susi.ie,” she added.

SCEP ‘first step’ in rebuilding suckler herd

IFA Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden has described the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) as the ‘first step’ in rebuilding the suckler herd, but said farmers must now be paid in full.

He said Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, following last year’s Budget, talked about an additional €90/cow in this scheme.

“The Minister must now honour that and ensure the new scheme to be announced in the coming weeks provides an additional €90/cow for all cows farmers apply on,” he said before calling for SCEP costs to be kept to a minimum so that supports remain with suckler farmers.