THE IFA will make forestry a "key issue" in negotiations on a new national programme to succeed the PCW, according to its president.
Farmers face growing competition for land from Coillte and corporate investors, as they strive to meet the Government's ambitious targets for more forestry. Under the national strategy for forestry announced earlier this year, it is hoped to double the present acreage under forest to about 17 per cent of the land by 030.
According to the IFA's Mr John Donnelly, about 52 per cent of all agricultural land going on sale between now and the end of the century will be sold to non- farmers, if the annual planting target of 25,000 hectares of forest is reached.
He said it was "ludicrous" that Coillte receives EU and state aid worth £684 million in planting grants and premiums, together with a substantial share of the £82 million in structural funds earmarked for forestry.
"This is totally unacceptable at a time when farmers are suffering cutbacks and a severe shortage of structural funds," he said.
"The Government has taken the easy option in reaching its targets by allowing Coillte and non farmers to draw down the annual compensation premium. The IFA wants all forestry premiums withdrawn from Coillte and corporate investors because it is a major factor in making farmers uncompetitive in the land market."
Mr Donnelly said: "With the future privatisation of Coillte now on the political agenda, there is every possibility that in the new century the single biggest landowner in this country could be sold off to US banks and British pension funds.
"It is totally unacceptable to the IFA that forestry is being foisted on rural communities without giving local farmers the chance to take up the land in question.
The principal officer at the forest service, Mr Maurice Mullen, rejected suggestions that Coillte's premiums should be withdrawn. "Coillte are a critical part of the plantation programme. They have a long history and a large reservoir of knowledge which isn't available to the same extent in the newly growing private sector," he said.
Coillte gets smaller grants than farmers for planting trees, Mr Mullen said. At the upper level, it gets £1,800 over 15 years per hectare for planting broadleaves, while a farmer gets £6,000 over a 20-year period.
"We don't accept that Coillte's land-purchase policies are causing the price of land to be driven up. Coillte pays an average of £1,700 per hectare, which is lower than the price at which land is changing hands between other private parties."
"Secondly, they have a far reduced level of planting, compared with the 1990-91 period. Farmers now constitute the vast bulk of planting - 85 per cent of private planting, which is 62 per cent of total planting."
According to Mr Mullen, under the national forestry strategy the Government hopes the private sector will undertake 70 per cent of new afforestation. This aims to "rebalance" an industry which has been dominated by state intervention until now and increase competition and efficiency.
"This is not the time to privatise Coillte, but as the company consolidates its commercial base it would be reasonable to ask if we should privatise it. It would certainly provide the government of the day with options to either privatise it, part-privatise it or to sell it off in lots."
"Obviously, at that time, issues of large-scale ownership and all the rest would have to be borne in mind. But I think the general direction one would be going in would be some form of lessening of state involvement over time."
The national strategy also calls for increased levels of broadleaf planting - 20 per cent of the total, with sitka spruce decreasing to 60 per cent and other conifers reaching 20 per cent.
According to an independent forestry consultant, Mr John Brosnan, a greater focus on small-scale farmer-driven forestry would lead to a larger percentage of broadleaf planting, as Coillte concentrates on large upland plantations of conifers.
A perception had arisen in some rural communities in the west that farmers were being driven out by large-scale forest planting.
"Historically, what has been happening is people have been leaving the land and forestry has generally moved in after them. Communities then perceive this thing that happens after they have gone as being the problem."
"Farm forestry should be encouraged because it is a viable way for farmers to stay on the land," Mr Brosnan said.