Waterford Fine Gael Senator and General Election candidate John Cummins joined party agriculture spokesman Senator Tim Lombard for an engagement with local farmers in the Tallow area on Friday last which was described as ‘very constructive’.
Speaking after the meeting Senator Cummins said “There is no substitute for meeting farmers on the ground to discuss issues of concern. I think everyone found the engagement very constructive. As a party, Fine Gael has been holding engagements like this right across the country over the past eighteen months and I was delighted to be joined by my colleague Senator Tim Lombard who is our spokesman on Agriculture in the Seanad for this particular meeting.
The main topics of discussion were the uncertainty being caused to the sector by possible changes to the derogation, TB outbreaks, VAT issues, challenges to succession and the unfair treatment of the agriculture sector in the media.
Senator Cummins said “I am acutely aware of the importance of the nitrates derogation to Waterford farmers and that is why engagement is already underway with the commission on this critically important issue. The Taoiseach Simon Harris has agreed to play an active role in relation to the retention of the derogationbeyond 2025. In my view, there is no question that a whole of sector approach is required to present a robust and balanced case. Meaningful engagement, collaboration and continued action on key items like water quality is needed.
“In relation to TB, this is something I did quite a bit of work on in the past with Minister Martin Heydon when the Regional Veterinary Office was short on personnel, however based on feedback, it appears this needs further attention once again due to retirements. The impact TB outbreaks can have on farmers can be devastating and it is clear the threat posed by infected deer and badgers is not being adequately addressed if the number of reactors are going in the wrong direction.
“In Budget 2025, I will be advocating for changes to Capital Acquisitions Tax, in line with a policy document launched by our party’s National Agricultural, Food, and Rural Development Forum in May. I also want to ensure that un-serviced and actively farmed land is not caught up in the Residential Zoned Land Tax which it was never designed to capture.
In conclusion Senator Cummins said “I want to commend the vast vast majority of the agricultural sector for the work they are doing to reduce emissions and improve water quality. There is an understandable anger in farming circles at what they feel is an unfair attempt to scapegoat them by certain individuals and groups who have an anti-rural ethos. I have always said the only way that you can bring people along with you is to work with them to change practices and in my experience of visiting farms across the entirely of Waterford, this has been and is continuing to occur and it is about time that they get some recognition for this”.