Reforms could cost rural economy over a billion euro according to IFA President after farmers from Carlow, Kilkenny & beyond took part in weekend demonstration

The Carlow and Kilkenny farming community was well represented at yesterday’s demonstration in Dublin.

Those in the sector have been warned that they’re ‘genuinely scared’ for their futures and worry that climate action will result in reduced production.

To highlight those fears, a protest was set to take place in the capital with up to 10,000 from across the country to attend, but organisers, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), took the decision to downscale the plans last week due to rising covid cases (see here).

Instead, about seventy tractors were driven through Dublin City yesterday with attendees outlining concern at the target of 22% reduction in emissions for agriculture, but claim the Government is talking ‘at’ rather than ‘to’ farmers.

Irish Farmers Association President Tim Cullinan claimed the reforms could cost the rural economy over a billion euro in losses; “So we have to achieve a reduction of almost four million tonnes like that’s a massive ask of farmers and if we look at it, this could cost rural Ireland, the rural economy, anything up to 1.1billion per year, that’s a massive amount of money, maybe a reduction of ten thousand jobs as well so it’s not just us as farmers is affected here, rural Ireland the rural economy”.