Farm protest to bring 100 tractors to Mullingar

Up to 100 tractors are to drive through Mullingar at peak time, as local farmers take part in a nationwide day of protest over the current economic crisis, and the devastation of the agri-sector."The tractorcade is to highlight Government cuts, and the devastating impact that collapsing farm incomes have on the rural economy in Co. Westmeath," Joe Maxwell, chairman of Westmeath IFA, told the Westmeath Examiner this week.At the time of going to press, a definite time for the tractorcade had not been fixed, as the IFA was in talks with the Gardaí about arrangements for the protest. It is likely that it will start around midday, probably at the old Horizon site at Grange.The protesting farmers are adamant however that they are not intending to stop their tractors while in town and to hold up traffic: the plan is to have the convoy drive through."We don't want to affect people working, and disrupt the business of the shopkeepers that are depending on the few people that are going into them."But we just want to bring it home to people that farmers are really hurting at the moment," said Westmeath IFA PRO Paddy Donnelly.Farm incomes are expected to fall by as much as 25 per cent this year, through a combination of poor market prices for all commodities, a disastrous and costly wet summer, and repeated draconian Government cuts on farm schemes, Mr. Maxwell told the Examiner."This combined with a reduction of 13% in 2008 means that farm incomes will have fallen by over 35% in the last two years," he said,adding that agriculture is vital to the rural economy of Westmeath, and that it is the largest indigenous industry in the county.Paddy Donnelly, who is running as a candidate for the Leinster Vice-Presidency of the IFA, concurs."All commodities are on the floor this year. Beef, milk, grain: every sector is losing a lot of money, and as well as that, money is hard to get from the banks as well. The consumer is still paying top dollar for their food, but it's not being passed back to the farmer, and it's the supermarkets that are winning.""Every town in Co Westmeath is dependent on agriculture and the income collapse will lead to significant downturn in business across the rural economy and the Government must take immediate action to address this issue," Mr. Maxwell has warned.The tractorcade is one of 29 to take place across the countyr on Monday, in each of the IFA's county executive areas.