Watch: Commissioner will hear about 'key issues' on first Irish visit
The European Commissioner for Agriculture, Christophe Hansen, will undertake his first official visit to Ireland tomorrow (Thursday, January 23) since taking up the role in late 2024.
The commissioner is scheduled to visit a farm in the morning and meet with a farm family before addressing delegates at the 70th annual Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) annual general meeting (AGM).
Ahead of Commissioner Hansen's visit to Ireland, IFA president Francie Gorman spoke to Agriland about the key issues that will be on the agenda.
Gorman said: "The key issues that we will be raising with him in no particular order would be the likes of the derogation, the Nature Restoration Law, Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2, the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform and the need to have an expanded CAP budget to be able to cater for the needs of farmers and to see that food is prioritised.
"The cost of doing business and how policy and regulation is imposing cost on farmers is another one that needs to be raised as well."
One other pressing issue that Commissioner Hansen will likely be asked to discuss is in relation to the EU-Mercosur trade deal.
According to the IFA president it is "a flawed deal that has been agreed with the Mercosur countries".
"It's going to do untold damage in my opinion to the Irish beef sector and to the European beef sector.
"There is unanimous agreement across the farm organisations in Europe that this has to be opposed."
Separately on the retention of the nitrates derogation, Gorman also highlighted that "a lot of work has been done on that here and we will be putting our best foot forward with the commissioner tomorrow to outline the work that is being done particularly at farm level through collaboration with the industry".
"I think the fact that we have everybody on the one hymn sheet from politicians through industry down to farmers is a good starting point.
"I think everybody needs to keep their head down and keep doing the work that's been done over the past 12 months in particular to ensure that we hold on to that derogation when the end of the year comes," Gorman added.
