Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday announced the formulation a new national action plan for farming which will help the country meet the challenges facing Irish farming and agri-food into the future was being prepared by the party.
Speaking at a special Fianna Fáil conference in Birr called to deal exclusively with farming issues, the Taoiseach said there could be no doubt that agriculture and the agrifood sector was in a period of major change.
"Mary Coughlan and her team are finalising a national farming action plan - Agri-Vision 2015. This is an ambitious blueprint for the future development of the whole sector," he told delegates.
"Agriculture can and should encompass strong commercial farming, as well as part-time farming, serving consumers and markets worldwide with pride and distinction," he said.
"It is our belief in Fianna Fáil that the success of our indigenous food industry must be built upon. This will help to strengthen Irish farming and secure job growth in the agri-food sector.
"Agri-Vision 2015," he said, "would be launched soon and would set out a series of measures to drive the development of the sector and add a new dynamic to Irish farming and agri-food.
"This blueprint will reflect recent developments - both national and international - and will set out future plans and strategies for the whole sector.
"Fianna Fáil are not short on ambition when it comes to the future of Irish farming. I can assure you that Agri-Vision 2015 will give us a roadmap to fulfilling our ambition," he said.
Praising the role of Ms Coughlan in the Cap negotiations, Mr Ahern said the issue of funding the Cap was resolved last year. The issue of future Cap funding was central to Irish interest and Ireland should receive over €10 billion in Cap payments and market supports over the next seven years.
The Taoiseach said the commitments made to Irish farmers in October 2002 about the level of future financial support would be honoured.
Dealing with the World Trade Organisation negotiations, Mr Ahern said he believed that no further reform of the Cap will be required and this negotiating position was agreed in the European Council of Ministers.
"There must also be a balanced outcome to the negotiations. Agriculture is an important element in an overall agreement but it is not the only one. I do not accept that agriculture and farmers should pay a disproportionate price for a new agreement."
He outlined a number of conditions which were vital to Ireland in the negotiations and said: "We want to ensure that the EU's system of decoupled direct payments continue to qualify as non-trade-distorting payments and remain exempt from reductions under a new agreement.
"On export subsidies, we will be insisting on equal treatment for all forms of subsidy and flexible phasing-out arrangements and market access will also be the critical issue in the negotiations, and our aim is to retain the maximum possible level of protection for our producers and exporters from increased imports," he said.
"You can be assured that Fianna Fáil in government will take a very active role in the negotiations."
At a press conference afterwards, Mr Ahern said the party would be holding a series of similar conferences on different themes in the coming year and there was no question that the conference was "a sweetner because of the difficulties over the Nitrates Directive".
New milk quota system confirmed
Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan has announced plans to move to a more open-market system of transferring milk quotas.
Ms Coughlan said yesterday this was a major move to free up the system which would allow farmers to expand and those who wished to get out of production, to sell or to lease their quota.
This would be done inside each co-operative and would be organised through an exchange system, through direct sales between individuals, through brokers or agents or even through marts.
"Quotas may be sold with or without land and a variety of partnership options will be allowed," the minister said.
"The new system will be introduced on April 1st, 2007, after the current restructuring scheme has ended."
She shared the view of many stakeholders that the restructuring system as it now operated would not meet the future needs of the industry.
Ms Coughlan this would lead to a more market-based approach to the transfer of quotas to achieve a structure that would best contribute to more competitive milk production here.