IGGG calls on drinks industry to support farmer suppliers
The Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) has called on the drinks industry to support its farmer suppliers, saying their economic sustainability "has been ignored" by the industry.
The group said that farmers have been repeatedly asked and encouraged to act on sustainability choices when managing their farms, something that has been encouraged at European, national and industry level with the introduction of programmes and schemes in recent years.
The IGGG said that this has mostly focused on the "environmental pillar" of sustainability in the majority of discussions when meeting climate change targets.
However, the group claimed that the economic aspect of sustainability has been ignored by the industry.
The IGGG also claimed that the recent forward price offer for 2025 for malting barley from Boortmalt "flies in the face" of the "economic pillar" of sustainability.
"Simply, the three-legged stool of sustainability has been kicked from under tillage farmers that supply Boortmalt merchants. Farmers are angry, and rightly so, especially against the backdrop of the sharp rise of the price of the pint in pubs and restaurants in recent months," the association said.
"Hugely significant financial investments announced by the drinks industry are now underway in Kildare and Cork...and farmers are questioning why they are not financially benefitting," the group added.
"The reality is 1c of the retail price of a pint directed towards those barley growers would transform their income. We are encouraging the Irish drinks industry to intervene and request that Boortmalt reconsider their offer to farmers.
"Their offer belittles what Irish tillage farmers are proud to produce for world renowned brands of drink. The reality now is that feed-grade grain, like winter feed wheat and winter feed barley, is more profitable to grow on a per hectare basis than a highly scrutinized grain destined for premium brands," the IGGG said.
"This is a massive step backwards for the Irish drinks industry, and talk of regenerative and sustainable farming, promoted and encouraged by the drinks industry, rings hollow this spring for tillage farmers," it added.
The IGGG said: "Has the drinks industry any pride in the raw material they use? It certainly doesn't feel that way for farmers as they head out to the field pondering whether they should encourage the next generation to farm."
