Irish Farmers’ Association livestock chair review and 2025 suckler and beef outlook

As 2024 draws to a close and 2025 is fast approaching, Agriland asked the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA’s) livestock chair Declan Hanrahan for a review of the work done by the IFA in 2024, and an outlook on the key policy and trade challenges facing Irish suckler and beef farmers in 2025. In relation to trade deals, Hanrahan said that IFA’s focus for next year will be “outright opposition to the Mercosur deal that the EU Commission President signed off in Uruguay. He said: “Through our Brussels office, we will be seeking to build alliances with other Member States which oppose the deal. “We received commitments from the main party leaders at our National Council meeting in November during the General Election campaign, and we expect those to be honoured.” The IFA livestock chair said that the farm organisation has “vigorously defended live exports throughout the year” and warned that “the new EU Transport Regulation, the Ethical Farming Ireland judicial review and persistent ...