IFA To Picket Meeting With Agriculture Minister

Thursday, 7 September 2023 08:17

The meeting was due to take place to discuss new EU nitrogen limits.

The IFA says it will not attend the meeting for farm organisations called by the Minister for Agriculture this morning.

A meeting of the Farmers' Charter was due to take place in Portlaoise this morning, but was cancelled by Charlie McConalogue, who instead invited the IFA to Dublin.

There, they would discuss new EU nitrogen limits which could see cuts to dairy herds, instead the Irish Farmers Association says it will picket outside.

The move announced yesterday by the European Commission will affect around 3,000 Irish farmers from the new year.

Pat McCormack from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association says if changes are to happen, farmers need time to adjust.

The Irish Farmers' Association has boycotted a meeting with the Agriculture Minister in relation to new changes to nitrogen limits.

They've formed a picket outside the Department of Agriculture, and have since been joined by four other farming groups who were due to attend the meeting.

However, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association decided to proceed with the meeting, and passed the picket.

Speaking at the picket line, IFA President, Toomervara's Tim Cullinan hit out at both the ICMSA and Minister Charlie McConalogue: