Farmers for Action (FFA) is supporting the principles espoused within the Aontú ‘Equitable Beef Pricing Bill’, which was defeated in the Dáil earlier this week.
FFA’s William Taylor said: “The Aontú policy for the beef sector very much mirrors our own commitment in Northern Ireland to secure viable prices for farmers in all sectors.
“I hope Aontú will push ahead with proposed legislation of a similar nature in the next Dáil. It’s important that farmers throughout the island can make a sustainable livelihood form their businesses.”
The only way this can be achieved, is through the provision of realistic farm gate prices and realistic support levels.
Meanwhile, FFA has confirmed that it will participate in the farm protest, planned for London on Tuesday, November 19, in the wake of Budget UK 2024.
“The current inheritance tax proposals will destroy family farming as we know it. The chancellor must act to take agriculture out of the inheritance tax net,” Taylor added.
FFA
As a compromise, the FFA representative suggested that a £5 million threshold could be introduced by the UK government, below which inheritance tax would not be paid.
“It is important for farming families to hold their nerve at the present time and wait to see how matters pan out, where the implementation of Budget 2024 is concerned,” he said.
Taylor is also extremely concerned about the inclusion of future farm support monies within the block grant paid to Stormont by Westminster.
“Under these circumstances, agriculture may well be placed down the pecking order of priorities behind the likes of health and education,” he continued.
Given this backdrop, the FFA representative is strongly of the view that Minister Andrew Muir will find it difficult to retain the current £300 million farm support budget, nevermind secure an increase in Stormont funding commitments towards agriculture.
“This is why the FFA’s proposed Farm Welfare Bill must be endorsed by all the political parties in Northern Ireland as a matter of priority.
“It represents the only viable way of delivering sustainable future for thousands of farming families.
“Businesses will only survive if they have the opportunity to secure realistic profits, which allow them to invest for the future on a sustainable basis,” Taylor stressed.
