Ireland: Malting barley growers in the Republic of Ireland have demanded the restoration of traditional malting barley contracts. Irish Farmers' Association IFA National Grain Committee chairman, Paddy Harrington, said that malting barley growers, at a meeting in Banagher, Co Offaly, had demanded that traditional malting barley contracts are restored to them immediately, the agricultural newspaper Farming Life posted on February 19.

Mr. Harrington also called on the Minister for Agriculture to take measures to reinstate grain storage grants and set up a task force on biofuels/biomass to secure the future for Midland tillage farmers. "Growers have helped create these contracts over a number of generations and these contracts belong to the growers," he said. "This move by Minch Malt is a sinister one and is an attempt to dismantle the contract system.

"It is quite clear from talks held with Minch Malt management that the decision to close the Banagher Maltings goes back over three years, yet growers were only informed at the start of the growing season. "Farmers have made significant investments in land and equipment on the basis of a continuation of the contract system only to be told at the last minute that they no longer have contracts," he said.

"The Banagher plant handled 45,000-50,000 tonnes of green barley, approximately 30,000 tonnes of which was sourced in the local catchment areas of North Tipperary, Offaly, East Galway and South Westmeath. The loss of this outlet will place significant extra tonnage of feed barley on an already overburdened feed grains market. "The loss of the maltings will also see a reduction in grain storage capacity of 25,000-28,000 tonnes and this, coupled with the closure of the former Williams Waller branch depots, will see a serious storage problem emerging for the 2005 harvest," said Mr Harrington.

"It is vital that the Minister for Agriculture reinstates an on-farm grain storage grant scheme immediately. Even at this, it is unlikely that the facilities will be in place for the 2005 harvest." The IFA man said: "The Minister must set up a task force immediately to examine the feasibility of setting up a biofuel/biomass plant in this area. A major shift towards renewable energy production is required if we are to meet our commitments under Kyoto and the EU Biofuels Directive."

Mr Harrington said that a shift to energy production from renewable resources would mean: Investment and employment in an indigenous renewable energy industry in the Midlands; Reduce the CO2 emissions; Green energy production; Reduce reliance on imported fuels; Secure a stable market for energy crops to supply a green energy industry with a secure future.

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