Intent: Request for Meeting and Proposal: Inclusion of Operational Machinery Drivers on Critical Skills List - and to propose a pathway to remedy this via inclusion of “operational drivers for contracting & forestry machinery” in the Critical Skills Occupation List for skilled workers.Under the following topics 1. Nature of the Challenge, 2. Proposed Solution: Critical Skills Inclusion, 3. Requesting for Meeting & Next steps, 4. Why this matters now,.
Details: Request for Meeting and Proposal: Inclusion of Operational Machinery Drivers on Critical Skills List
Intent: To highlight the serious issues facing farmers.::To engage with government Ministers and TD's to discuss how some of these issues could be resolved in next months budget.::To run a poster campaign on all routes to the Championships to highlight urgent issues including; The delay in farm scheme payments, the proposed cut in the Nitrates Derogation limit, the problems associated with the new Beef Suckler Scheme, supports for the sheep farmers, problems in the forestry sector and supports for the tillage sector.
Details: National Ploughing Championships 2023 - IFA Stand
Intent: Highlight to the DAFM the lack of adequate funding for private sector advisors to partake in the forthcoming new KT programme in 2024 and request an increase in the proposed facilitator payment to agri consultants/advisors to remain economically viable to host KT groups when compared to the state subsidised public advisory service.
Details: The new proposed Knowledge Transfer (KT) programme.
Meeting with Minister McConalogue and officials in December at Ag House - MeetingVarious meetings with Minister McConalogue at separate events and locations across the country - Meeting
Intent: That the Government supports Member States' proposal for a further impact assessment and greater flexibility for Member States on the implementation of the Directive
Intent: That the total number of applicants for the ACRES Scheme is circa 46,000. The total number of places allocated was 30,000. The Government must provide sufficient funding to make an environment payment to all eligible applicants
Intent: To highlight that Agri-environment schemes are a critical source of income each year for family farms, contributing to the enhancement of our environment, while improving the environmental and economic sustainability of our farming enterprises. The new proposed Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) has the potential to continue to fulfil this role, however, further changes are necessary in order to achieve this.::Agri - Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) Budget::ACRES is proposed to have a maximum participation of 50,000 farmers. Based on participation levels in GLAS and the number of farmers who applied for the REAP scheme, IFA are strongly of the view that 50,000 places in ACRES will be insufficient. This issue needs to be addressed to ensure that all valid applications are accepted into the scheme in 2023.::The overall maximum payment rate of €10,500 in the CP zones which includes non-productive investments is not enough and will represent a cut for some farmers when
Intent: To highlight concerns in the rural community about livestock and sheep worrying by dogs which are not under proper control.::To obtain amendment to primary legislation and regulations relating to on the spot fines for dogs caught worrying sheep and livestock::To raise this issue with local authorities who are responsible for all operational activities, including enforcement of legislation.::1. Ideally a single National Database for all dogs corelating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog but at a minimum alignment of the existing licensing and microchipping records to one central access point.::2. Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs.::3. Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí and clarity of these powers.::4. Increased on the spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements::5. Increased sanctions and on the spot fines for failing to have th
Intent: That the Office proposed under the Bill should be called the National Food Regulator.::That the maximum fine for offences under the terms of the Bill be increased to €10million or 10 per cent of global turnover, whichever is greater, to act as a deterrent.::The key recommendations made by the Committee are that::• The title of the office as constituted should be the National Food Regulator instead of ‘the Office for Fairness and Transparency in Agri-Food Supply Chain' outlined in the General Scheme of the Bill;::• The proposed Office should also have the power to require market sensitive data that isn't publicly published must be available to the proposed Office if requested to ensure fairness in the food supply chain;::• The authority to ‘conduct random inspections on suppliers and buyers to ensure continued compliance with the rules on unfair trading practices' is included under ‘General functions and role of the Office' (Head 8) and ‘Particular functions of Office' (Head 9) of the B
Details: Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022
