A new national farming organisation to represent marginalised low income farmers is to be set up.
A committee has being formed which comprises of farmers from lowland and hill farms. It will include those with designated land who will work towards the launching of an organisation by the end of February.
Farmers from a number of counties met in Westport, Co. Mayo on Sunday evening where many felt that their issues were not being satisfactorily represented by the farming organisations that are currently there.
Spokesperson for the committee, Colm O Donnell stated that the priority of a new organisation will be to protect farm incomes which continue to fall especially in the more marginalised areas. The focus must now be on protecting the future viability of the family farm – according to the committee statement.