North South need - v -corporate greed

national | miscellaneous | news report Monday May 13, 2002 19:37 by Lawrence Smyth - Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association- NIAPA forplan at ic24 dot net 15 Ballykeel Road Lurgan BT67 9JU 02892651476 or Mob. 07710603311

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This work is already been accepted by sections of the local farming media but I feel that it has further relevance, in the context of globalisation

NIAPA Press Release: 30/4/2002

NIAPA has returned to the issue of a North South Agenda for agriculture, following a scheduled visit to Cavan, on Thursday 18/4/2002, where Principle Officers within NIAPA met with their ICMSA counterparts and discussed a range of agricultural issues. The evidence, as expected, points to many areas of common interest, particularly in relation to the many threats now facing the traditional family farming community, within the context of developing corporate agriculture in Ireland.

ICMSA and NIAPA are essentially family-farming organisations, representing arguments for sustainable agriculture, in the context of community need and regional interest. Opposition, from those otherwise focused upon pursuing profit from globalisation and the development of corporate agriculture, is being seen as having the potential to de-stabilise the economy of vulnerable regional communities. In world terms the Island of Ireland is, in economic terms, seen to be a vulnerable region.

Disease control and the goal of eventual eradication was top of the agenda in a range of constructive discussions. Both organisations are acutely aware of the necessity to protect the livestock industry throughout Ireland. Recent experience, with regard to the Foot and Mouth outbreak, has brought a new focus upon the financial impact of any serious breakdown in animal health matters. The resultant motivation is for new disease control initiatives, coordinated to ensure that the livestock industry and those associated with it do not have to go through this traumatic experience again.

Both NIAPA and ICMSA are agreed that the interpretation and application of animal disease control measures should be as one, in both the North and South of Ireland. Both organisations have agreed to pursue these matters further, with the North South Ministerial Council and a joint meeting will be requested to discuss relevant issues.

The situation with regard to trade distortion was also raised and it is clear that both the north and south have separate and justifiable grievances, with regard to the perception of economic opportunism, in regard to sectoral imports. ICMSA are currently aggrieved by the amount of liquid milk reaching southern markets and members feel that this is having the effect of depressing market returns to producers in the south. Against this we have a similar situation in NI where an influx of beef from ROI is being seen to be having an adverse impact upon producer prices in the north.

The conclusion, to what was a very cordial, informative and constructive meeting, was agreement for a closer working relationship, in furtherance of the economic interests of the family-farming community and the knowledge that the impact of globalisation now poses many common threats to the long term stability of primary producers and their role in society. It was also agreed that contact would be made with members of the Welsh Farmers Union, where again it was believed there is common interest in mounting and sustaining the defence of the family farming community.

Finally it was agreed that there should be greater cooperation in undertaking essential research, in the matter of sharing notes, with regard to the regional interpretation and implementation of EU directives, where the historical evidence points to disadvantage to Northern Ireland farmers, in consequence of a lesser priority having been given to the needs of agriculture by the UK government.

Clearly there is much by way of common economic interest in all matters relating to agricultural production on the Island of Ireland. Our arguments for essential economic improvement, in regard to addressing regional needs and the place of the farming-family in agriculture, are likely to be strengthened and sustained, when positively identified in the context of an all-Ireland need.

The global alternative, by way of super imposing macro-economic units as a replacement for the traditional family farm, whilst claiming justification on the basis of theoretical efficiency and economy of scale, will create dependence upon imported goods. This deficit, in terms of community displacement, is unlikely to be adequately compensated in the long term, by way of alternative productive industry, which must of necessity create a new body of socially deprived and dependent rural families. This is surely shortsighted economic policy and turns the goal of pursuing any degree of relative economic regional independence upon its head.

Lawrence Smyth NIAPA Gen. Sec. and PRO.