Farmer's protest march in Dublin

Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

YOBR said:
Then why don't they quit farming and go into another profession/industry where rewards are more comensurate with their efforts?
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In fairness it's not that simple. Do we (EU citizens) want to be dependent totally on external sources of food in the same way that we are at the mercy of Russia/Mid East for our energy? What happens when our food source is taken over by a more hostile government?
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

Farming in rural areas need protection.

I would hate to see large ranchs or factory style operations.

From an environment point of view - we need to grow food locally.

From a socail point of view - these farms are needed.

From a consumer viewpoint - expecting foods that are out of season to be on supermarket shelves will not be on.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

cork said:
From a consumer viewpoint - expecting foods that are out of season to be on supermarket shelves will not be on.
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If only someone would invent the greenhouse :rolleyes:
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

How about removing the subsidies and letting the consumer decide if they want to pay higher prices for locally produced goods or not?
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

shanegl said:
How about removing the subsidies and letting the consumer decide if they want to pay higher prices for locally produced goods or not?
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What, you mean adults making their own decisions in a free market?! That's not the socialist way!
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

shanegl said:
How about removing the subsidies and letting the consumer decide if they want to pay higher prices for locally produced goods or not?
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I think there's merit in a nation being able to feed itself. I like the idea of food security (and energy/fuel security for that matter). If that requires support for farmers (and fishermen) through subsidies then so be it. I hate that we're paying farmers and fishermen to give up their livelihoods.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

I for one would pay extra. I live in rural Ireland and there is plenty of farms around. If these farmers are forced out of the market than we will have to rely on low grade mass produced meat or non irish meat.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

Klesser said:
I for one would pay extra. I live in rural Ireland and there is plenty of farms around. If these farmers are forced out of the market than we will have to rely on low grade mass produced meat or non irish meat.
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Why do you think that all farmers would be forced out of the market? I don't think that this is possible.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

diarmuidc said:
In fairness it's not that simple. Do we (EU citizens) want to be dependent totally on external sources of food in the same way that we are at the mercy of Russia/Mid East for our energy? What happens when our food source is taken over by a more hostile government?
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I dont think it will be one or the other, what seems to be quoted are two extremes of the diameter...farming like all other sectors has to change and adapt...
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

Klesser said:
I for one would pay extra. I live in rural Ireland and there is plenty of farms around. If these farmers are forced out of the market than we will have to rely on low grade mass produced meat or non irish meat.
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I agree.

Left to the market we'd get low quality mass produced stuff that is not traceable.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

the reality is that only for the subsidies, there would be a real reduction of farmers in ireland...the real problem is the discrepency between the prices that the farmer gets paid at source compared the price that the consumer pays in the supermarket...the middle men are cleaning up. go to a local stock mart and see exactly how much a whole sheep will fetch, then go to the supermarket and see how much a leg will cost!!

if the subsidies stop(which a lot of them are about to in 2013 btw), irish farmers will get out of the game even faster than they currently are, and we'll all be eating dodgy brazilian beef and imported chicken etc...do you really fancy the idea of eating a piece of lettuce that has travelled thousands of miles to get to your plate as opposed to one that was grown in Rush?

irish consumers need to become more food aware (which i think they are btw) and demand irish products which are fresh, safe and can be traced back to exactly where they came from.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

bb12 said:
we'll all be eating dodgy brazilian beef and imported chicken etc...do you really fancy the idea of eating a piece of lettuce that has travelled thousands of miles to get to your plate as opposed to one that was grown in Rush?
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In my view, it is scaremongering, to suggest that everyone in Ireland will be eating imported food. In anycase what is wrong with food from the EU, sure dont they have common food standards with us?
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

cork said:
Left to the market we'd get low quality mass produced stuff that is not traceable.
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What leads you to this conclusion?
Do you not think that there would be demand for good quality food?
Do you think that the Dept. of Agriculture food standards we now have will be removed if farmers in Ireland are producing less food? Why would we not regulate imported food?
I don't see the logic behind your views.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

shanegl said:
How about removing the subsidies and letting the consumer decide if they want to pay higher prices for locally produced goods or not?
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The consumer will pay heavily for this privilege, unless they want to eat untraceable meat, poultry & dairy products from the Third World. The likes of Tesco will, as normal, pocket the additional margins and the consumer will save nothing.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

ubiquitous said:
...within which the vast majority of traders are neither farmers nor food producers.
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Good opening for farmers so; they can take the producers margin and the sellers margin.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

ubiquitous said:
The consumer will pay heavily for this privilege, unless they want to eat untraceable meat, poultry & dairy products from the Third World. The likes of Tesco will, as normal, pocket the additional margins and the consumer will save nothing.
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The supermarkets sell what the customer wants. If the market wants good quality traceable food then that's what they will sell.
BTW, the consumer is already paying for it; the EU subsidies don't come out of thin air.
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

ubiquitous said:
...within which the vast majority of traders are neither farmers nor food producers.
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You seem to want it everyway, one the one hand you complain about the price farmers get paid (see quote below) and on the other hand you dont want to reap the opportunity presented by selling direct to the public (see quote above). All you seem to want is that the status quo......

bb12 said:
the reality is that only for the subsidies, there would be a real reduction of farmers in ireland...the real problem is the discrepency between the prices that the farmer gets paid at source compared the price that the consumer pays in the supermarket...the middle men are cleaning up. go to a local stock mart and see exactly how much a whole sheep will fetch, then go to the supermarket and see how much a leg will cost!!
Click to expand...
 
Re: What is the protest march in Dublin I've just seen?

Sorry the piece you quoted was "Originally Posted by bb12", not by me.

I am not bb12.

Fwiw, despite their name, Farmers markets are NOT generally a realistic option for farmers to sell their produce to the public. That is why the vast majority of traders in such markets are not farmers. Not many consumers are interested in buying whole bullocks or unpasteurised milk.
 
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