Latest news with #ICOS
Agriland
a day ago
- Business
- Agriland
ICOS AGM: ‘Promising' developments amid uncertainty in farming
Despite high levels of uncertainty facing farming, there are 'promising political and market developments' that could support the sector in the year ahead. That's according to Edward Carr, the president of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), who told the organisation's annual general meeting (AGM) yesterday (Tuesday, June 3): 'Perhaps society is finally recognising that quality food is both difficult and expensive to produce, and it must be paid for accordingly.' The AGM was held in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, in which Carr told stakeholders: 'We live in interesting times'. 'While the term 'unprecedented' is often overused, it rightly describes the challenges currently confronting co-ops and food producers.' Carr welcomed what he said were recent shifts at an EU level, saying that the 2024 European Parliament elections prompted centrist groups to 'rethink recent policies that alienated farmers'. 'The previous [European] Commission's overly purist Green Deal and dismissive attitude towards agriculture played a significant role in driving voters toward the political extremes. 'Now, we see a more balanced approach, with new agriculture and environment commissioners, Christoph Hansen and Jessika Roswall [respectively] showing early signs of being more responsive and pragmatic,' Carr said. However, he added that legal environmental commitments for farming remain in place and 'must be met'. Commenting on market conditions, he said that the prices of milk and meat are at 'unprecedented levels', supported by currently weak global supply. However, these prices are 'countered' by cost bases within the agri-sector that are constantly rising, according to Carr. 'This trend confirms what we've been saying for years. Farming has been pushed into a position where it is unattractive to younger generations. The costs are high, inflation is locked-in, the hours are long and the rewards are limited.' He also warned that global geopolitical risks, including continuing conflict, the trade impact of the current US administration under Donald Trump, and the rise of 'authoritarian voices' in Europe, could threaten stability. 'The European project, and in particular the Single Market, remains vital for Ireland's economic future. We need strong leadership to ensure that Europe continues to work for its citizens, farmers included, not just for ideological visions,' Carr commented. He also told the ICOS AGM that environmental responsibility is important, particularly in relation to the nitrates derogation. 'We've made huge strides in improving water quality, though the time lag between action and results remains frustrating. Still, the perseverance of co-ops, farmers, Teagasc, and the Department of Agriculture is beginning to bear fruit. 'Retaining the derogation is essential, not just for dairying but for the entire agri-sector,' he said. One of key issues for the year ahead, according to Carr, is the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), amid concerns that its standalone ringfenced budget could be radically overhauled. 'Agriculture and the CAP are under pressure, with serious risk that funds could be diverted to other priorities. This would be deeply damaging, not just to the basic payments scheme [Pillar I], but also to Pillar II, which is critical to delivering sustainability goals. In fact, we don't need two pillars, we need a third,' he said. 'CAP is the foundation of a sustainable and competitive farming and agri-food sector in Ireland and Europe. It plays a vital role in maintaining farm incomes, supporting rural communities and driving progress on climate and environmental goals across the EU. 'What we need is a strong, practical and fully resourced CAP; one that cuts red tape and empowers farmers to focus on producing food, not paperwork. Farming in Ireland and across the EU is struggling to attract young farmers,' Carr added. He called on the European Commission not to risk 'accelerating the generational renewal crisis'. 'Rather than potentially seeking mechanism to undermine and defund CAP, the European Commission must stand by its farming citizens, underpin food security and protect this essential policy,' he said. The ICOS president called on policymakers to 'stand firm in defence of farming', adding: 'Our sector is ready to do its part, but we need the tools and resources to do it'.
Agriland
21-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
CAP merging proposals slammed as ‘creative accounting'
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) has claimed that the European Commission's plans to change the structure of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and merge its funding pillars amounts to 'creative accounting'. Denis Drennan, the association's president, said he had 'little doubt' that the 'manoeuvre' was being employed to 'disguise an effective reduction in one or both funds'. 'The recent comments by commission officials that seemed to indicate a renewal of interest and concern around the security of the EU's food supply can now be discounted as the accountants and bean counters resume control ad overall direction,' Drennan said. 'We have [the] commission…telling everyone that they realise now the importance of funding the farming that feeds the population, while simultaneously and deliberately merging the two farmer and rural-related funds as a precursor to a grandiose announcement of the new total, as if the funding allocated had increased,' he added. 'The whole exercise is as transparent as it is cynical. Drennan said that the CAP is central to Irish and EU agriculture, and that CAP funding has been undermined in successive reforms. 'The EU has a decision to make, whether to protect its food production base that is central to EU food security through a dedicated budget, or abandon that funding system and allow the dismantling of its food production base,' the ICMSA president said. 'That's the choice and the government must clarify its position on this matter and declare it a red line, in the [EU budget] negotiations,' he added. CAP single fund The comments from the ICMSA come after farm organisation protests in Dublin and Brussels against the changes, which, it is understood, will be formally announced by the commission on July. A protest in Dublin yesterday (Tuesday, May 20) was organised by the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS). The IFA has warned the commission against 'stripping away the CAP budget in favour of a single fund approach to the EU budget'. The president of ICOS, Edward Carr, has also stressed that CAP is the 'foundation of a sustainable and competitive farming and agri-food sector in Ireland and Europe'.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Farmers protest in Dublin over EU plans to merge Cap budget into single fund
The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and the group representing co-ops held a protest in Dublin on Tuesday, warning against a plan to to remove the Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) budget in favour of a once-off funding approach to the EU budget. Farmers and farming representatives took part in the 'flash action' at the European Commission offices on Tuesday morning. The IFA and Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) protest coincides with a flash action organised by Copa Cogeca, the largest representative union of more than 22 million European farmers in Brussels. The protests come as the EU Commission has put forward proposals to amalgamate Cap into a single fund. READ MORE The move has sparked concern in the agricultural sector, which warns that their funding could be stripped back over the years as it will not be ring-fenced. 'The Cap budget has been in place since the Treaty of Rome, way back in the 1950s, and it was put in place to make sure that we would have food security across Europe, which was paramount and is still paramount today,' Alice Doyle, deputy president of the IFA, said. 'If that budget is subsumed into the main European budget, it can be pilfered at any time, to be used for any purpose. 'We want this ring-fenced, as it has always been from the very beginning, ring-fenced to support farmers across Europe and here in Ireland in particular.' She added: 'If it is not ring-fenced, the income of farmers would be reduced dramatically, because we all depend on that direct payment coming from Europe. That's part of our basic income scheme.' Ms Doyle also raised concern about the knock-on impact for rural Ireland because farmers are based there and 'every penny they earn is spent in rural Ireland'. Edward Carr, a diary farmer from Tipperary, president of the ICOS and chairman of Arrabawn Co-operative, said the Cap budget is being targeted. 'The proposed changes are very concerning for the future of farmers within our country,' Mr Carr said. 'It's concerning because the Cap was brought in few years ago for us as a protection that we produce cheap food. 'It has to be taken into consideration that we are probably one of the best countries on the globe to produce sustainable food in a sustainable manner, while protecting the environment. 'I think it's just come to the stage where farmers have to stand up for themselves and protect themselves. The future of this cheap, sustainable food being produced has to be protected. It's time for Europe to pay more heed to this.' – PA
Agriland
20-05-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Watch: Farmers protest in heart of Dublin city over future of CAP funding
Farmers from all over Ireland gathered in the heart of Dublin city centre today (Tuesday, May 20) to protest over fears about the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget. The joint protest organised by the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) and the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) took place outside the European Commission's offices in the city centre. The European Commission last week (May 14) published a large package of measures designed to 'simplify the CAP and boost EU farmers' competitiveness'. The CAP is a common policy for all EU countries and is managed and funded at European level from the resources of the EU's budget. The commission is understood to be planning a radical overhaul to the EU budget – the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – as part of which the commission is planning to merge its various funding programmes into a smaller number of funds, which would be allocated all together to member states. However, the IFA has warned the commission against 'stripping away the CAP budget in favour of a single fund approach to the EU budget under the MFF'. The president of ICOS, Edward Carr, has also stressed that CAP is the 'foundation of a sustainable and competitive farming and agri-food sector in Ireland and Europe'. CAP protest The Dublin protest coincided with other protests across EU member states today that were organised by various farming organisations. The protest in Dublin was led by deputy president of the IFA, Alice Doyle, and the president of ICOS, Edward Carr. IFA deputy president Doyle believes that any changes to the CAP could have 'huge consequences' for the farming community in Ireland, and across the European Union. She told Agriland: 'It means that that budget can be pilfered at any time and money from that budget can be used for anything other than just food production. 'The CAP budget has always been there to protect food production, and food security in Europe. If that budget is not ring fenced, there is always a risk that the budget can be used for something else, and that food production will not be supported. 'At this moment, there couldn't be anything more important than food security.' According to ICOS president Carr, farming is not sustainable unless the industry is supported by the European Union. He said: 'We're proud to be farmers, we're proud of what we do, we want to continue to do it, and we want the next generation after us to be able to do it. Unless we are supported it's not possible. 'We are one of the best countries in the world to produce food, and we need to protect that. We can produce sustainably in this country, and that needs to be protected.' 'This is another crossroads, farmers are being faced with a lot of change over the last few years, farmers have embraced those changes, just as there is a little bit of settlement coming back into the change,' Carr added. European Commission The European Commission's representative in Ireland, Peter Power, reassured Irish farmers that they 'will be heard'. Speaking to farmers at the protest, he said that farmers have always been central to the European project, and that that has not changed. 'The president of the Commission (Ursula von der Leyen) has made it very clear, farmers are entitled to a fair and sufficient income. 'Commissioner Hansen came here in January to hear directly about the concerns from Irish farmers. We are in listening mode.' 'The budgetary cycle is kicking in now. Your protest comes at a timely manner, when your voice will be heard,' Power added.
Belfast Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Farming groups hold protest over Cap proposals in Dublin
Farmers and farming representatives took part in the 'flash action' at the European Commission offices on Tuesday morning. The IFA and Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) protest coincides with a flash action organised by Copa Cogeca, the largest representative union of more than 22 million European farmers in Brussels. The EU Commission has put forward proposals to amalgamate Cap into a single fund. The move has sparked concern in the agricultural sector, who warns that their funding could be stripped back over the years as it will not be ring-fenced. Alice Doyle, deputy president of the Irish Farmers' Association, said they have been warning against the consequences of the changes to the Cap budget. 'The Cap budget has been in place since the Treaty of Rome, way back in the 50s, and it was put in place to make sure that we would have food security across Europe, which was paramount and is still paramount today,' she said. 'The production of food is very important. Farmers have to be supported financially to produce food. We are producing the best food in the world, in Ireland and across Europe. 'But if that food security is to be there, we're going to have to support our farmers in the continuous production of that food. 'The Cap budget is what gives that finance to the farmers to help them produce that food. If that budget is subsumed into the main European budget, it can be pilfered at any time, to be used for any purpose. 'We want this ring-fenced, as it has always been from the very beginning, ring-fenced to support farmers across Europe and here in Ireland in particular, in the production of food, and to make sure that we have food security.' She added: 'If it is not ring-fenced, the income of farmers would be reduced dramatically, because we all depend on that direct payment coming from Europe. That's part of our basic income scheme. 'The second thing is, it would have a huge impact on rural Ireland because farmers are based in rural Ireland, and every penny they earn is spent in rural Ireland.' Edward Carr, a diary farmer from Tipperary, president of the ICOS and chairman of Arrabawn Co-operative, said the Cap budget is being targeted. 'The proposed changes are very concerning for the future of farmers within our country,' he said. 'It's concerning because the Cap was brought in few years ago for us as a protection that we produce cheap food. 'It has to be taken into consideration that we are probably one of the best countries on the globe to produce sustainable food in a sustainable manner, while protecting the environment. 'I think it's just come to the stage where farmers have to stand up for themselves and protect themselves. The future of this cheap, sustainable food being produced has to be protected. It's time for Europe to pay more heed to this.'
