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Green Pages Feed Trade Topics from the Island of Ireland


MORE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR IRISH GRAIN Mark Browne, the grain chairman of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), asserted that the next Irish government has to fight for an increased CAP budget to account for inflation and to compensate farmers for any additional requirements placed on them as a result of CAP reform. “All payments to farmers must be maintained at their current levels,”


said Browne. “Any increase for farmers below the national average must be funded through an increase in the CAP budget.” Browne also said that Ireland’s farm support schemes must be more flexible for grain farmers to be able to invest in their farms. “We also need to see a greater emphasis on the production and use of native grains in our food, feed and beverage sectors,” he added. On the subject of plant protection, Browne said that Irish and


European growers need a level playing field so they are not competing with imports that don’t meet EU standards.


NORTHERN IRELAND HAS A NEW FARM MINISTER Edwin Poots, MLA, is Northern Ireland’s new minister for agriculture, environment and rural affairs. His appointment follows the re- establishment of the province’s Stormont Assembly and Executive in January.


Poots has already made it clear that he is keen to support


production agriculture. “Putting the environment first will be my main priority,” he said.


“However, this does not minimise the scope to expand our production agriculture base on a sustainable basis.” Poots cares deeply about making sure farmers are compensated


fairly. “I want to see our farmers get better paid for the quality food


they produce,” he said. “Farmers work extremely long hours. It is only right that they should receive returns that are commensurate with this commitment.” The new agriculture minister has also commented on his dedication


to supporting the farmers in his home country. “Northern Ireland may only be a region within the UK, but I am


committed to raising the issue of getting fairness for farmers form the marketplace in the strongest possible terms,” said Poots. Poots also confirmed that Northern Ireland will have total autonomy


when it comes to setting the farm policies that will support local agriculture beyond Brexit. “I have already spoken to leading members of the government in


London on this matter,” he said. “It is currently accepted that Northern Ireland will have total scope to generate farm policies that meet local needs. And I doubt if this understanding will be altered over the coming


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months.” Poots is also of the belief that the current farm-support levels will be maintained into the future.


PROFITS FALL AT GLANBIA PLC Glanbia PLC’s revenue totalled €3,875.7 million in 2019 — an increase of 16%. Profits after tax, however, came in at €214.8 million, down from €234.0 million in 2018. “Glanbia delivered a 16.6% increase in revenues in 2019, driven


by a strong performance from our Glanbia Nutritionals segment and by the acquisitions of SlimFast and Watson,” said Siobhan Talbot, Glanbia’s group managing director Siobhan Talbot. “Glanbia Nutritionals saw broad-based volume growth, with notable performances in vitamin and mineral blends and healthy snack ingredients, underlining the continued consumer shift towards health and wellness.” “It was disappointing that earnings were impacted by challenges in


the Glanbia Performance Nutrition, or GPN, segment,” Talbot continued. “To address these, we have conducted a comprehensive business review and are taking actions to simplify our business, allowing us to concentrate on our core brands and optimising our routes to market across channels and geographies. As a result, we expect GPN to regain branded revenue growth momentum in 2020.” Talbot maintained a positive outlook on the future of Glanbia. “Glanbia is financially strong and cash-generative,” she said.


“We have increased our dividend by 10% and we are proposing to our shareholders that we adopt a share buyback programme in 2020. We are confident that the actions being taken will position the company to generate enhanced shareholder value in a growing healthy nutrition market.”


FIRMER GRAIN PRICES IN NORTHERN IRELAND According to the Northern Ireland Grain Trade Association (NIGTA), the new decade has kicked off with a significant hardening of prices across a range of feed materials. It seems that a combination of technical factors will inevitably drive up ration costs in the coming weeks. “Wheat has been the major mover, with the effect of heat and


fires in Australia and the wet weather in Europe causing concern about global supplies,” said a NIGTA spokesperson. “Expectations are for the English wheat harvest to be much reduced in 2020, with autumn plantings down by 30%. “England is likely to be an importer rather than an exporter of wheat


in the next year,” the spokesperson continued. “Prices have moved up by around £30 per tonne since harvest, as farmers have been reluctant to sell with a shortfall expected and the market still rising.”


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