The new IFA national Dairy Chair is a Monaghan farmer who says one of his priorities is to get a fair price for milk products during his term. Martin McElearney was elected as Dairy Chair on Monday and will step into the role in January.
Retention of the nitrates derogation at 220kg per hectare is also one of the main aims of Mr McElearney's tenure but he admits it's a tough ask as the EU aims to reduce it to 170 kilos. When Donald Trump takes office in January, there is a fear that the new President will impose tariffs on the import of Irish dairy products into he USA.
Martin told Northern Sound there are things he just can't plan for when he is dairy chair but, IFA and the Department of Agriculture already planning mitigation against Trump tariffs:
