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The Irish Natura And Hill Farmers Assocation

INHFA

Supporting farmers on marginal and high nature value lands to secure a sustainable future for farming in Ireland.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Christina Borchmann (Director Agriculture and Rural Development) and

27 Mar 2025 · GAEC 2

Meeting with Ciaran Mullooly (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Mar 2025 · Agricultural issues

Meeting with Chris Macmanus (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Jul 2023 · Nature Restoration Law

Meeting with Chris Macmanus (Member of the European Parliament)

23 May 2023 · Nature Restoration Law

Meeting with Mick Wallace (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

23 May 2023 · Nature Restoration Law

Meeting with Maria Walsh (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Mar 2023 · Nature Restoration & Bio Diversity

Meeting with Chris Macmanus (Member of the European Parliament)

23 Feb 2023 · Forestry and nature restoration

Meeting with Luke Ming Flanagan (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion)

31 Jan 2023 · Nature Restoration law

Meeting with Luke Ming Flanagan (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion)

29 Nov 2022 · Impacts on farmers

Meeting with Luke Ming Flanagan (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

27 May 2021 · Green ambition of CAP

Meeting with Luke Ming Flanagan (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

3 Mar 2021 · Land eligibility GAEC III

Response to Protecting biodiversity: nature restoration targets

2 Dec 2020

We need to ensure that agricultural activity is central to any policy decisions on the management of biodiverse lands. These are managed landscapes for generations and agricultural activity has been responsible for creating the biodiversity which now needs to be protected. Farmers are central to the management of biodiversity. From an Irish perspective, we need to recognise that there are opportunities on all farms for biodiversity and also recognise that some aspects of current agricultural practices are unsustainable and damaging to biodiversity and this must be addressed. Farmers must also be rewarded for existing good practice. The Department of Agriculture has an enormous role to play in protecting biodiversity. Currently, the definitions used for land eligibility and agricultural activity have caused a huge amount of damage to biodiversity with farmers removing biodiverse areas to comply with flawed land eligibility definitions. Biodiversity must be embraced by all sectors of society and in all aspects of agricultural production. Monoculture agriculture has sterilised huge areas of agricultural land, damaged soil structure, increased erosion, and depleted carbon from the soil, and left no opportunity for biodiversity and pollinators. It also has huge implications for water quality deterioration.
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Response to Long term vision for rural areas

9 Sept 2020

The current Common Agricultural Policy has many contradictions particularly with regard to its impact on biodiversity, carbon emissions, and water quality. At present, it is a disadvantage for a farmer to own Natura 2000 designated land as there is no compensation for the restrictions and costs associated with the management of these areas which are selected to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. In 2040, farmers will be recognised as custodians of the countryside and will be rewarded for the provision of this public good. In particular, farmers' skills and knowledge in maintaining Natura 2000 sites will be nurtured and rewarded. The Common Agricultural Policy will reward sustainable farming with an emphasis on high-quality food production, a fair price for agricultural output, and the encouragement of environmentally friendly farm practices.
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