The government is being urged to introduce a temporary support plan targeting agricultural fuel as costs rise.
This comes as part of a series of proposals sent to the Government by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).
Last week, the FIA met with Tánaiste, Finance Minister Simon Harris and Agriculture, Food and Marine Minister Martin Haydon to discuss the fuel and fertilizer crisis.
While no commitments were made at the meeting, which also included the Farm and Forestry Contractors Association of Ireland (FCI), there was a commitment to consider the proposals made at the meeting and Meet again.
Fuel
IFA president Francie Gorman said the agricultural organization had now put forward a “series of detailed written proposals” to address escalating fuel and fertilizer costs.
“We need to take urgent action; the government is fueling public frustration by not acting quickly enough.
“Energy and fertilizer costs make up a significant portion of Irish farmers’ overall cost base, both directly in the use of fuel and fertilizer to operate agricultural machinery and grow crops, and indirectly through the use of agricultural contractors, transport and other similar services,” he said.
Gorman said the government reduced agricultural diesel prices by just 5 cents per litre.
“This is a completely inadequate response to a worsening crisis and does not come close enough to addressing the massive increase in prices,” he added.
“The government must do more and it must do it immediately,” he added.
During a meeting last week, FIFA said Tánaiste Simon Harris had ruled out any permanent or even temporary reduction in the carbon tax.
“We still want the government to reconsider this position,” Gorman said.
Proposals
Alternative proposals drawn up by the IFA include introducing a “Temporary Agrifuel Support Scheme”.
This will provide farmers and farm contractors with a monthly support payment to cover the increase in farm and contractor fuel costs, compared to the same month in 2025, Gorman said.
It was proposed that this be retroactive to March 1, 2026.
IFA President Francie Gorman
The IFA is also seeking to expand the agricultural diesel carbon tax credit to enable agricultural contractors to qualify.
To address the cost of fertilisers, the International Fertilizer Federation has reiterated its call for the suspension of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on fertilisers.
The International Federation of Agriculture urged the government to reintroduce a fodder subsidy scheme with a minimum payment of €150 per hectare to help farmers defray the high cost of making fodder and hay this year.
The IFA is also seeking a significant increase in the existing tillage sustainability support scheme “in recognition of the significant increase in crop production costs as a result of significant increases in fuel and fertilizer prices”.
If there are any restrictions on access to fuel, the IFDA said fuel used in transport and food processing should take priority.
“These proposals represent fair and sensible steps the government can take to address the crisis in which we now find ourselves,” Gorman said.
