DEAR SIR:

I was greatly underwhelmed to read your correspondent, Jack Kennedy’s online article in the Irish Farmers Journal on 30 May, titled “Time for change on co-op board representation”.

ICOS is always open to discussing new ways to get more farmers actively involved in their co-ops. There are challenges around participation; involving young farmers, new entrants and ensuring greater gender diversity. All businesses need new blood, diversity and fresh thinking and co-ops are no different.

However, unfortunately Mr Kennedy’s article was more disparaging than constructive. He suggests that “board members ... often have to be forced into position”, and that farmers who shout about milk prices “get the nod” ahead of “someone who may have more strategic thinking”.

While Jack paints some amusing and frankly lazy pictures based on anecdotes; I’m afraid we’re dealing with the governance of large multi-million- and billion-euro entities with tried and trusted democratic structures. If Jack has a better suggestion than democracy, we’d be keen to hear it.

He seems to think that it’s a bad idea that multi-purpose co-ops, to whom agri-trading is a vital part of their business model, should require directors to be loyal to the business.

I’m afraid that it’s a key principle of the co-operative model that co-ops are owned and governed by people with skin in the game. Ultimately, it’s for the members of any given co-op to decide whether to formalise that requirement in their rule book.