Danny Healy-Rae urges protections for grain and tillage farmers
Danny Healy-Rae spoke about the plight of grain and tillage farmers, warning that imported grain grown to different standards is undermining domestic producers. He called on ministers to protect the tillage sector, ensure a level playing field on standards, and allow imports only when Irish supply cannot meet demand.
He described grain and tillage as a vital part of the agricultural landscape and recounted meeting grain growers who gave a concise, serious presentation about farmers leaving the business and the risk of further losses.
He argued that grain arriving from Europe and other countries is not always produced under the same costly methods required of local farmers, creating unfair competition for land, pricing and inputs. He insisted the same rules should apply everywhere, noting that whether grain comes from Ukraine, Russia or elsewhere, "the same rules should apply all, all over the world."
He criticised the practice of selling Irish whiskey made with other grain, calling it "absolutely ridiculous" and "not fair," and said Irish producers should retain the primary role in supplying grain when the Irish name is used. He said imports should be used only if domestic supply cannot provide the necessary grain.
He warned specifically for North Kerry grain men and named places tied to tillage traditions from his youth, stressing the importance of straw and traditional farming activities. He said the sector has already lost beet, suckers and sheep and urged that no more tillage farmers be lost.
Speaking directly to the ministers present, he stressed this debate was the moment to act, lamenting limited speaking time in the chamber and urging the government to make it easier for domestic farmers to comply with standards or to ensure imported grain meets the same standards.
Grain and tillage at risk
He described grain and tillage as a vital part of the agricultural landscape and recounted meeting grain growers who gave a concise, serious presentation about farmers leaving the business and the risk of further losses.
Unfair competition from imports
He argued that grain arriving from Europe and other countries is not always produced under the same costly methods required of local farmers, creating unfair competition for land, pricing and inputs. He insisted the same rules should apply everywhere, noting that whether grain comes from Ukraine, Russia or elsewhere, "the same rules should apply all, all over the world."
Concerns about product labelling and supply
He criticised the practice of selling Irish whiskey made with other grain, calling it "absolutely ridiculous" and "not fair," and said Irish producers should retain the primary role in supplying grain when the Irish name is used. He said imports should be used only if domestic supply cannot provide the necessary grain.
Local impact and cultural loss
He warned specifically for North Kerry grain men and named places tied to tillage traditions from his youth, stressing the importance of straw and traditional farming activities. He said the sector has already lost beet, suckers and sheep and urged that no more tillage farmers be lost.
Appeal to ministers and urgency
Speaking directly to the ministers present, he stressed this debate was the moment to act, lamenting limited speaking time in the chamber and urging the government to make it easier for domestic farmers to comply with standards or to ensure imported grain meets the same standards.
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Transcript
to talk about the grain and tillage section of our farming and the society. Grain and tillage has been, is and always has to be a vital part of our agricultural landscape. Indeed we met these grain growers and they gave a very concise and interesting presentation and a serious presentation for in regard to the plight that they're facing and the total amount of farmers that are going out of the business and how many will go out of it if something doesn't happen. I mean it's not fair that they're, you know, that they're competing, that they don't have a level playing field. And if the grain that's come in from Europe is not grown in the same methods and the costly methods that we're ensuring our farmers have to work under, we'll have to level the plain pitch on our side and make it easier for them to comply if we can't do it any other way. If we can't ensure that the Europeans are, wherever the grain is coming from, are operating the same standards. Look, it's absolutely ridiculous to think that people can come along and sell Irish whiskey that's, that there's other grain, make it. And you have to do something about that, that's not fair. And ensure that, that we get the, that for our farmers, that we get the primary role in producing the grain. And, and it is only if we can't provide it, that it should be imported in or used. When they're using our name. And they're in savage competition for land and for, for, for the pricing and everything and for the cost of everything, everything is going up. And you know, we know our important grain and to increasing the carbon footprint that, that we're all supposed to be adhering to. I mean, God almighty, we're all under the one sky, whether the grain comes from Ukraine or from Russia or wherever it comes, it's produced under the one, the same sky. So the same rules should apply all, all over the world. And I fear for the North Kerry, eh, for grain men that are growing grain back over the years. And that fact, and belly high and kill moily and causeway, all those great men that have, are tilling back over the years. Since I was a young fella, my father and myself, we just go up there for beet and for straw. And it's vital that these people keep going for, because we, we need the straw. All I'll say to you is there was 332 minutes, 3,032 minutes, and, and I seem to only get two minutes. Eh, we, we don't want to lose any more. We don't want to lose any more. Like we lost the suckers and the sheep and, and, and, and we lost the beet. And this is our time here inside today. The, here the ministers of today, and I appreciate you being there listening to this and I see you listening to everyone that spoke. But this is our time to ensure that we do not lose the tillage men or any more. This is our time. This is your time. And it's your time too. Thank you. Thank you, Deputy.