IFA president Mr John Dillon, today appealed to farming families to vote Yes in the Nice Treaty referendum as he announced the IFA campaign.
The sssociation is to spend around €150,000 on a nationwide campaign to promote a Yes vote. It has also written to its 85,000 members and intends to take out advertisements in 32 provincial papers.
Mr Dillon said: "Farmers have nothing to gain by voting No. It would not be wise for farmers use their vote as a protest on farm incomes because farming has most to lose if Ireland rejects the Nice Treaty".
"IFA has a good record of strong and effective lobbying for Irish farmers in Brussels - a No vote would result in loss of goodwill and influence, and relegate Ireland to a second division in the EU," he said.
The IFA President outlined the main benefits of a Yes vote for agriculture as:
- Securing the continuation of CAP transfers of €1,700 million annually to Irish agriculture.
- Building alliances with other states to resist and change the Fischler CAP Reform Proposals.
- Working with existing and new member states to ensure that the fundamental elements of the CAP are protected and that an adequate CAP budget is put in place for the years after 2006.
- Ensuring Ireland remains an attractive location for foreign direct investment and jobs by being at the centre of EU integration.
