MACRA NA Feirme leader Michael Gowing has challenged Taoiseach Brian Cowen to work on his farm for a day to see the difficulties that Government policies are causing.
Mr Gowing made the comment as more than 1,400 young farmers and supporters arrived in Bantry, Co Cork, this weekend for a Macra conference.
Mr Gowing, president of the 9,000-strong organisation with 300 branches across the State, said Mr Cowen’s agriculture policies were strongly anti-young farmer and placed every possible difficulty in their way.
“The last CSO statistics released based on 2007 figures indicate that only 7 per cent of Irish farmers are under the age of 35. The Government is doing nothing to help increase this figure with its current policies.
“I adamantly believe that our country and economy will only start taking positive steps forward when the agricultural community is rightfully returned to its position at the fore of national policies and decision-making, and encouraged to fulfil its true potential,” he said in his opening address to the conference last night.
While this year’s conference is taking place against a crisis in the agri-economy driven by poor summer weather, low product prices and cuts to important farm schemes, Macra was also highlighting another problem facing its members: road deaths.
It has arranged for the Road Safety Authority to bring its mobile interactive shuttle to the conference centre at the Westlodge Hotel, where young people will be instructed in road safety in an effort to cut road deaths among young, rural people.