An IFA delegation met with Minister Heather Humphreys this week to discuss the Nitrates Directive.
The organisation's Ulster North Leinster Regional Chairman, Frank Brady, was part of the delegation that also met with Sinn Fein's Agriculture Spokesperson Matt Carthy.
Speaking to Shannonside Northern Sound, Mr Brady said farmers need a two year extension to the derogation programme under the Nitrates Directive and that is what was raised with elected representatives.
He says primary producers are being treated very poorly by the supermarkets in Ireland. Mr Brady warned that food shortages are on the way if the Government does not listen to farmers' needs.
The supermarkets have insisted that they get their margin all the time and don't give the primary producer a margin. What happened with the tomatoes was, six months ago they were told that farmers were getting out of tomatoes because they couldn't afford to grow them below cost. "The supermarkets didn't listen; they had six months grace in which to get tomatoes because tomatoes were in the system and nobody was going to stop production half way through the process. Now, we find that production has stopped and the supermarkets are being holier than holy and saying, "ah yes, we are going to this and that", the IFA regional chair said.
