Thursday’s meeting was called by agriculture minister Michelle O’Neill to consider difficulties faced by dairy farmers.
However, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said it had been successful in having the agenda widened.
It followed the recent publication of official figures that showed farm incomes had almost halved over the past year.
UFU president Ian Marshall said: «We know there is no magic bullet to increase prices – but until that happens government and industry needs to rise to the challenge of getting farming families through a very difficult winter.»
The union said it was «acutely aware» of the growing issue of cash flow.
«After an awful December for weather farmers – and not only dairy farmers – have feed bills that need to be paid, and the money isn’t there to do so. They also have to make plans to buy costly fertiliser – and that is a big challenge when you don’t have the funds in your account,” said Mr Marshall.
The UFU says that while cash flow will be its priority for the meeting on Thursday it will also be pressing for the entire industry and government to look towards long term solutions, more generally for the wider industry.
These will include ways to tackle volatility, ranging from the big challenge of trying to even out markets to more practical initiatives, such as payment plans with agricultural merchants and the potential to deliver advance payments of CAP support this year.
“For now, however, we are acutely aware from our members that we need to make sure family businesses are still trading, come the spring – let alone when prices finally improve,” added Mr Marshall.
However, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said it had been successful in having the agenda widened.
It followed the recent publication of official figures that showed farm incomes had almost halved over the past year.
UFU president Ian Marshall said: «We know there is no magic bullet to increase prices – but until that happens government and industry needs to rise to the challenge of getting farming families through a very difficult winter.»
The union said it was «acutely aware» of the growing issue of cash flow.
«After an awful December for weather farmers – and not only dairy farmers – have feed bills that need to be paid, and the money isn’t there to do so. They also have to make plans to buy costly fertiliser – and that is a big challenge when you don’t have the funds in your account,” said Mr Marshall.
The UFU says that while cash flow will be its priority for the meeting on Thursday it will also be pressing for the entire industry and government to look towards long term solutions, more generally for the wider industry.
These will include ways to tackle volatility, ranging from the big challenge of trying to even out markets to more practical initiatives, such as payment plans with agricultural merchants and the potential to deliver advance payments of CAP support this year.
“For now, however, we are acutely aware from our members that we need to make sure family businesses are still trading, come the spring – let alone when prices finally improve,” added Mr Marshall.
Source: The Irish News
