MEP Ciaran Mullooly Calls for Urgent Action to Secure Future of Family Farms in EU Agriculture Debate
MEP Ciaran Mullooly Calls for Urgent Action to Secure Future of Family Farms in EU Agriculture Debate in Strasbourg
In a powerful address to the European Parliament yesterday, MEP Ciaran Mullooly delivered a compelling message on behalf of family farms across Ireland and the EU during the crucial debate on the future of European agriculture and the Strategic Dialogue on this subject in Strasburg.
On behalf of 137,000 family farms in Ireland, with half located in his constituency of the Midlands and West, Mullooly emphasised the critical importance of the ongoing agricultural dialogue. "This debate is about the future of farming on this continent," Mullooly stated. "It's about the future of young farmers and the viability of family farms."
While welcoming the plan for agriculture on behalf of farm families, Mullooly expressed reservations and delivered a strong message to the Commission: "This plan has many positive elements, but without adequate funding, it will be another missed opportunity to protect and improve the livelihoods of thousands of farm families in the Midlands-Northwest region." The Irish MEP outlined several key priorities:
Secure and inflation-adjusted CAP funding
Support for new environmental schemes
Clear, achievable targets within the 100-day plan
Reduction of bureaucratic red tape, especially for small holdings
Restoration of confidence in the farming sector
Protection of the beef sector, with a focus on the Irish suckler herd
Mullooly demanded a new budget for the implementation of the Green Deal, stating, "It is not acceptable to force farmers to make climate and environmental investments on their farms out of the existing CAP budget."
He also called for a special support package for suckler herds in Ireland, emphasising the urgency of the situation: "We need to see urgent action. We would like to see the protection of the beef sector with particular focus on our Irish suckler herd, now threatened."
Concluding his speech, Mullooly underscored the critical nature of the plan's success: "We believe the success or failure of this plan will determine the future of many family farms, not just in Ireland but throughout the European Union."
The MEP also stressed the importance of ongoing assessment, stating that the progress of this plan must be evaluated annually. He announced his intention to propose a full review at upcoming Parliament sessions and at the influential Agriculture Committee in the coming months. Mullooly's intervention was well-received by many MEPs present, reflecting the widespread concern for the future of family farming across the European Union.
