Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister and the Department on the tillage schemes that have been put in place. I also commend them on the €12.2 million package to attract farmers to grow more grains this year to mitigate the events in Ukraine and their impact on important inputs for our milk, beef, poultry and pig sectors. The supports that have been put in place will make a difference and all we can hope and pray for is that we have decent weather during the harvest, as well as for a decent summer with neither drought or flood. I also acknowledge the setting up and establishment of the national food and fodder security committee and the expertise of Teagasc and the Department to consider initiatives that can impact quickly on the problems there are this year.

The increases in the cost of fertiliser are having a significant impact on farmers as is the price of fuel. While there was a small change in agricultural duty in the recent announcements it is a real concern to farmers. Many farmers will make decisions not to buy extra cattle for the summer grazing period and not to keep as many cattle next winter. The impact may already be evident in the marts and it will be seen in the weanling trade next autumn. We need to consider initiatives for a temporary period such as supports to cull a certain number of dairy and suckler cows that are aged over seven or eight to try to reduce the volume of breeding stock for a short period. We can also accept that, while pig and poultry farmers are struggling due to the high import costs, the slurry from their farms could be worth a lot this year. Any supports that can be put in place to encourage the use of pig and poultry slurry on neighbouring dairy farms or elsewhere would assist with fertiliser costs.

Other Members have commented on livestock but livestock are needed in uplands such as the Burren to protect the ecosystems we have. Livestock produce organic manures, which are hugely important for the production of food. We cannot be entirely down on the system that has developed in this country over a long number of years. It is a system of high-quality food that is grown to the best standards in the world. It is traceable and it supports rural communities up and down the country. Some of those farmers are part time while others are full time but we need to keep generational farmers on the land. It is an industry we can be proud of and one we need to protect and support going forward.