Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the grain growers for their presentation. It was said that one acre of malt barley could produce more than €60,000 for the Exchequer. Can Mr. Carter flesh that out a bit? This sector stands out in Irish agriculture in that we are not self-sufficient in it and it is unfortunate to be importing grain when we have such a strong natural capacity to grow it. Mr. Carter outlined how the percentage of land under crops has reduced in recent years. What immediate action should we take to redress this? The margin is the biggest difficulty and is driving down the numbers involved in the sector, along with the increase in the dairy herd in recent years.

Last year, a number of farmers along the west coast lost crops. What can the witnesses tell us about the grain crop this year? Are any counties in trouble? We heard about how much farmers in other countries are getting for GM crops. How do the witnesses see the economics of that? Mr. Carter said we need to build up our island as a GM-free food chain. How does growing GM crops compare with our own production methods? It is important that farmers are properly rewarded for what they produce.

Mr. Carter also mentioned anaerobic digesters. How well does this work in other countries and what steps can be taken to encourage it domestically?