This week the IFA staged a protest outside Minister Richard Bruton’s office in Dublin to highlight “the failed regulation and flawed legislation” that farmers say has allowed powerful multiples to dominate the food supply chain and “fleece farmers” to bolster their profits.
The IFA President John Bryan said farmers had to take a stand for their right to negotiate a fair price that covers their costs and gives them a margin.
The protest came on the back of a raid by the Competition Authority of the IFA’s head office in Dublin into possible price-fixing in the milk market.
Mr Bryan said: “The recent actions by the Competition Authority are protecting greedy retailers and criminalising farmers. Immediate reform is needed to secure fair play in the food supply chain.”
The IFA President said political accountability must be restored and he called on Minister Bruton to prioritise the promised legislation to fix the inequality in the food supply chain.
“This legislation was well advanced last year through the work of the facilitator John Travers. The Government made a big play of its Fair Trade proposals during the election and must press ahead with their implementation. Action on this issue is long overdue,” said Mr Bryan.
