This article is from page 38 of the 2007-07-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 38 JPG
MACRA na Feirme National Presi- dent, Catherine Buckley, is pushing for an annual increase of 5 per cent in Ireland’s national quota, to be al- located to new and recent entrants to dairying.
Buckley, who has become the first ever female president of the Young Farmers Organisation, feels that a radical shake up in the system is needed to attract more young farm- ers into the sector. “If we are to at-
tract young people into the industry we need radical changes.
“The targeting of an increased quota to new and recent entrants is required to allow the farmers who are the future of the dairy industry to rapidly expand their businesses in the years ahead and to prepare for an environment where we will no longer have milk quotas,” she said.
“This additional quota would be purely a license to produce rather than an asset and the quota should be allocated nationally and completely
separately from the milk quota ex- change.”
Ireland currently has a competitive advantage in dairying and Buck- ley has called on the Department of Agriculture to effect change and restructure the dairy industry before the abolition of milk quotas.
“Dairy farming is a very labour intensive and tying occupation and young people must see the prospect of proper rewards for their time if they are to commit themselves to the Sector,” she said.
“Under Social Partnership, the Government is committed to fa- cilitating and promoting farm part- nerships. In this context, the Gov- ernment must ensure that, where practicable, schemes and rules shall act to encourage and promote farm- ing in partnership in the interests of efficiency and competitiveness.”
Macra believe more steps to en- courage partnerships, including the introduction of an individual limit for young farmers in New Entrant Parent Partnerships are required.