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Bodies collecting levies on behalf of the IFA must audit their accounts, justifying the current system of levy collection, IFA’s treasurer Jer Bergin has said.
“In fairness to all the outlets that we deal with, they have their own accountancy systems and have to stand over what they do,” Bergin told the Irish Farmers Journal.
“It is farmers’ money, it’s not our money, it’s not IFA’s money and it’s certainly not meat processors’ or the Goodman group’s money. It’s farmers money and that’s the way we all have to approach it.
“I’m sure that any fundraising that’s done for our association, that it’s properly out there for the members. They can see where it has come from and where it’s going.”
Like the IFA regional chairs, Bergin stressed that the organisation is in the process of reform.
“It will be an all-in package and will be done together as part of the reform, transparency and better governance of our association in the interests of our members. That is the path that we’re on and the process will be completed shortly.”
The move by Goodman to change the levy collection system was “an attempt to interfere with the running of our association in that manner. In particular, the linkage to the competition issue; that was something that the Goodman group did themselves. They made that issue and I think it’s in everybody’s interests in the industry – whether it’s farmers, whether it’s marts or even processors – that there’s competition,” he said.
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