Offaly based former IFA President believes farming has a bright future

EU schemes and financial direct transfers were crucial to transforming Irish agriculture into “amongst the most efficient in the world”.

That's according to former IFA President and Government Minister, Tom Parlon who said the EU continues to be backbone of farming, even commercial systems, in Ireland.

The Coolderry man said farmers and the IFA recognised the importance of EEC membership long before we joined and were crucial to carrying the referendum in 1972.

During his term as IFA President, Mr Parlon said he would have been in Brussels, where agriculture policy is decided, at least twice a month.

He recalls dealing with Commissioners Ray MacSharry and Franz Fischler and developing very good relationships with both which resulted in “quite favourable deals” from an Irish perspective.

“We always associated with the French who were big players in influencing farm policy and such a tactic was very much in our favour,” he stressed.

While acknowledging that farmers faced environmental challenges in the years ahead he said there was also many opportunities in EU environmental schemes such as ACRES.

“Over 44,000 farmers are involved in the ACRES scheme which is far more than anyone could have predicted,” revealed Mr Parlon.

Meanwhile IFA President Tim Cullinan speaking at a function to mark 50 years of IFA and ICOS in Brussels recently pointed out that as “far back as 1960, an NFA Council meeting in July resolved to ask the Government to seek ’immediate clarification’ about the CAP and the possibility of Ireland applying for membership of the EEC.”

In preparation for the referendum in May, 1972, IFA set up a National Referendum Committee, chaired by Joe Rea. Alan Dukes was appointed as the organisation's first Director of European Affairs.

Added the Tipperary based farmer: “Anybody who remembers what farming looked like 50 years ago will see the scale of what has been achieved through hard work and access to the EU market.”

“The European Union has been a huge positive for Irish farmers and Irish society in general. It ensured that European citizens had a safe supply of nutritious food at affordable prices.”

But Mr Callinan remarked he was concerned “we are starting to take food production for granted.”

“There’s a raft of new measures - Nature Restoration Law, Sustainable Use Directive, Industrial Emissions Directive – that have the potential to place onerous conditions and costs on European farmers.”

He concluded: “We cannot forget that a farmer’s primary role is to produce food. That was the case when we joined the EU in 1973 and it’s still the case today.”

“There’s a raft of new measures - Nature Restoration Law, Sustainable Use Directive, Industrial Emissions Directive – that have the potential to place onerous conditions and costs on European farmers.”

He concluded: “We cannot forget that a farmer’s primary role is to produce food. That was the case when we joined the EU in 1973 and it’s still the case today.”