Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely aware of the challenges facing our farm families over the cost of inputs and the cost of doing business.

Over the past year significant price rises have occurred primarily in the energy sector with natural gas and oil prices reaching record highs. These price rises have significant implications across all sectors, including the agri-food sector. These price rises have been amplified by the impacts of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

Following a strong year for family farm Incomes in 2021, where average family farm income was up by 26% to over €34,000, Teagasc has forecast that a decline in 2022 is now highly likely, as output price increases will fail to offset the rise in production costs.

Significantly higher production costs will be a feature across all sectors in 2022, with higher fertiliser, feed and fuel prices leading to an increase in agriculture input costs. The current market outlook for output prices is uncertain, with significant upward pressure apparent, but this is unlikely to cover the additional input costs for many farmers.

I meet with stakeholders on an ongoing basis to discuss the impact of the Ukraine crisis on Irish agriculture and supply chains.

Earlier this year, I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee and tasked it with the preparation of a response to the emerging crisis in feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs; and to developing contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises.

I also established a Rapid Response Team within my Department, chaired by the Secretary General, to actively monitor the impacts on agri-food supply chains and to contribute to the whole of Government response.

Fertiliser merchants have indicated that there are adequate supplies of fertiliser in Ireland at present. However, there may be issues with availability of certain products at times and importers are active in securing alternative supply lines where necessary. Fertiliser affordability and availability is one of the biggest challenges facing our farmers at present.

There are sufficient supplies of animal feed at present and importers are actively competing on the global market to ensure that supply continues uninterrupted. Animal feed stocks and imports are being monitored on a regular basis by my Department.

Since the invasion of Ukraine started, I have announced a number of measures, valued at €91 million, to assist the agri-food sector including:

- €56 million Fodder Support Scheme

- €20 million in two packages for the pig sector,

- €12 million for the tillage sector and

- €3 million for the horticulture sector.

These targeted measures will help Irish farmers at a time of escalating costs and build resilience against the expected impact of the situation in Ukraine. €15.8 million of these supports, for the pig and horticulture sectors, are funded from the EU's exceptional support package to support the farmers most impacted by the crisis.

I and my Government colleagues are acutely aware of the challenges arising for farming households, businesses and the greater agri-food sector, and along with the measures targeted at the agriculture sector we have taken steps across the board at Government level to help address these. These include the increase in the living alone allowance, the package of electricity cost measures and the package for supporting fuel costs.

My Government colleagues the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, when publishing the government’s Summer Economic Statement 2022 last week, indicated that Budget 2023 will be calibrated to balance the need to provide further supports with the need to avoid adding to inflationary pressures.

I continue to engage with all our stakeholders and continue to work across Government to respond to this crisis, using all of the tools at our disposal. We must protect our farm families and their businesses through this period of significant upheaval.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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55. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the further proposals that he intends to pursue to assist farmers with the high and rising input costs in feed, fertiliser and fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38537/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The current situation in relation to the cost and availability of farm inputs is a significant concern and one that I am acutely aware of.

Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine led to significant hikes in energy, feed and fertiliser prices and significant concerns around supply chain disruption.

Earlier in the crisis, I established the National Fodder and Food Security Committee to prepare an industry response to the emerging crisis in feed, fodder, fertiliser and other inputs, and to develop contingency plans and advice to assist farmers in managing their farm enterprises. This Group continues to meet and I will continue to engage closely with the sector as we work together on these significant challenges.

Within my Department, I established a Rapid Response Team, chaired by the Secretary General, to actively monitor the impacts on agri-food supply chains and to contribute to the whole of Government response to this crisis.

I launched the 2022 Soils, Nutrients and Fertiliser Campaign in January in response to the unprecedented fertiliser price levels. This credible roadmap, which I tasked Teagasc in developing, will help alleviate reduce their dependency on chemical fertiliser in the longer-term. Teagasc has also issued revised advice to farmers on the recommended application amounts of fertilisers for silage fields to reflect the increase in fertiliser price.

Given Ireland’s dependence on imported feed, I announced a package of targeted interventions for the tillage sector and a multi-species sward initiative worth over €12 million to support Irish farmers on 22nd March.

The package supports the growing of additional tillage and protein crops and the establishment of multi-species swards lowering demand for chemical fertiliser. Following on from the package of measures announced in recent months to provide support to Irish farmers, I launched a €56 million Fodder Support Scheme on 15th June 2022.

We continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and is actively engaging with the EU Commission, across Government and with industry as this situation unfolds.

As the Deputy is aware, I am committed to supporting our farm families and their businesses through this very challenging period.