The Irish Natura & Hill Farmers Association has rejected any proposal that could see farmers Basic Payments been targeted in the form of a compulsory levy to help fund the running costs of Farming Organisations. Describing the proposal as “unacceptable and arrogant” INHFA National Chair Vincent Roddy went on to outline how the INHFA would be embarrassed to take money from farmers that we were not representing.
During the recent CAP reform debate Roddy outlined how senior farming organisations at that time failed to represent the majority of farmers. During this debate he stated “the interests of over 80% of farmers was ignored in order to ensure the payments of a small few was protected” The present proposal he added “would involve farming organisations now taking money from the Basic Payments of farmers whose interests they tried to undermine”
This proposal he continued “has already seen a very negative response from many farmers’ especially young farmers starting in 2016 and the forgotten farmers” Any cut to farmers Basic Payments should he added “be to accommodate these farmers and not high paid executives in Farming Organisations”
Roddy also stated how “a compulsory levy like this could only be introduced if the Oireachtas were to pass legislation allowing it” This he concluded “is something I hope never happens but we do need our politicians and Political Party’s to clarify their position on this”
