The IFA leadership has clearly mulled over what new direction is needed to better serve farmers. This can be seen in the job descriptions for three roles now advertised.
Creation of new policy and strategy is ramped up to top priority. In another change, the new executive secretaries for livestock and dairy no longer need to operate out of Dublin and can be based out on the ground in one of IFA’s regional offices.
The new emphasis on policy is no accident – local IFA meetings in recent years have heard members call out for new ideas, led by struggling livestock farmers. All sectors face challenges.
So, a new position is being created: director of policy and chief economist, described as a senior role reporting to director general Damian McDonald. The person will work in partnership with national council and commodity committees, such as livestock, dairy, grain, hill, pigs, etc, to develop new policies and strategies.
Commodity and county chairs will have direct access to the person who has the clout to set new policy and strategy.
That person will also be negotiating with Government, European institutions and the national agencies that impact farmers, working closely with the IFA’s Brussels office.
The above change will free up the new livestock and dairy executives to interact more closely with livestock and dairy farmers on the ground. They will report to the director of policy and chief economist, to ensure information flows quickly in both directions.
I see Ann Derwin, former chief economist at the Department of Agriculture and assistant secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, is headed for pastures new.
She has been nominated to replace Eoin O’Leary as Ireland’s next ambassador to China. The Sligo native and her husband, Joe O’Flaherty, the former boss of Animal Health Ireland, will be moving to Beijing.
Derwin, who is extremely well-regarded in Kildare Street, previously served as agriculture attaché in Spain. The former vet was the first woman appointed to the Department of Agriculture’s management board and sits on the Foreign Affairs management board in her role as director general of the Global Irish Services Division.
Ann Derwin with Minister Michael Creed and Dr Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner on Health and Food Safety. \ Finbarr O'Rourke
The curious case of the missing eye patch
The Dealer’s attention has been drawn to an altered bull picture online. This isn’t your usual Photoshop for photo enhancement, or a humorous meme destined to “go viral”, as the kids say.
Instead, it’s the curious case of a missing eye patch. The eye patch was – or should I say wasn’t – on a Simmental bull that was recently exported to Italy for semen collection. Some of these export markets are very particular on markings, and a solid white head is desirable for many.
Neither the vendor nor the photographer are laying claim to the artwork and it appears a mysterious third party altered the photo, in a bid to cause controversy.
The lockdown boredom must really have got to some people.
A farmer in Cheshire, England, was left scratching his head after a local walker posted a letter of complaint through the door.
The ranting rambler was sounding off about cattle standing too near the gate in the farmer’s field.
The letter demanded the cows be “secured” to allow walkers to tramp all over the grass – on a private farm field.
Walkers have the right to roam in the UK, but they must not cause any damage. Traffic on farm paths and walkways has rocketed since lockdown began, as walking was one of the few permitted options for leaving your home.
Some farmers were happy to play tour guide, giving explanations of their field work to passersby. But this particular harping hiker wasn’t happy with farmers feeding the nation, educating the public and looking after the environment – he also wanted the farms turned into pleasure parks too.
New and old faces return to Dáil farm benches
I see that Seán Sherlock is making a return to farming as the Labour Party’s new spokesperson on agriculture.
Sherlock already has form here, previously holding the role between 2007 and 2011. Matt Carthy of Sinn Féin has been appointed the party’s agriculture spokesperson.
Carthy has form too. Expect plenty of discussion on convergence and farm incomes.
Meanwhile, the latest to be handed a portfolio in Agriculture House is Martin Heydon.
The Kildare farmer has been handed responsibility for research and development, farm safety, and new market development.
The Dealer is looking forward to some head-butting in the Dáil chamber.
‘Will you mind me sheep?’
I see a bystander at a hurling match in the west of Ireland was made into a shepherd during a game last week.
“Number 13 there with the green helmet is after running over to me, saying here will you mind me trailer outside there. I’ve a couple of sheep in it,” the bystander says on a video doing the rounds on Twitter.
The spectator had no issue in looking after them. A great show of “sportsmansheep” indeed.
The IFA leadership has clearly mulled over what new direction is needed to better serve farmers. This can be seen in the job descriptions for three roles now advertised.
Creation of new policy and strategy is ramped up to top priority. In another change, the new executive secretaries for livestock and dairy no longer need to operate out of Dublin and can be based out on the ground in one of IFA’s regional offices.
The new emphasis on policy is no accident – local IFA meetings in recent years have heard members call out for new ideas, led by struggling livestock farmers. All sectors face challenges.
So, a new position is being created: director of policy and chief economist, described as a senior role reporting to director general Damian McDonald. The person will work in partnership with national council and commodity committees, such as livestock, dairy, grain, hill, pigs, etc, to develop new policies and strategies.
Commodity and county chairs will have direct access to the person who has the clout to set new policy and strategy.
That person will also be negotiating with Government, European institutions and the national agencies that impact farmers, working closely with the IFA’s Brussels office.
The above change will free up the new livestock and dairy executives to interact more closely with livestock and dairy farmers on the ground. They will report to the director of policy and chief economist, to ensure information flows quickly in both directions.
I see Ann Derwin, former chief economist at the Department of Agriculture and assistant secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, is headed for pastures new.
She has been nominated to replace Eoin O’Leary as Ireland’s next ambassador to China. The Sligo native and her husband, Joe O’Flaherty, the former boss of Animal Health Ireland, will be moving to Beijing.
Derwin, who is extremely well-regarded in Kildare Street, previously served as agriculture attaché in Spain. The former vet was the first woman appointed to the Department of Agriculture’s management board and sits on the Foreign Affairs management board in her role as director general of the Global Irish Services Division.
Ann Derwin with Minister Michael Creed and Dr Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner on Health and Food Safety. \ Finbarr O'Rourke
The curious case of the missing eye patch
The Dealer’s attention has been drawn to an altered bull picture online. This isn’t your usual Photoshop for photo enhancement, or a humorous meme destined to “go viral”, as the kids say.
Instead, it’s the curious case of a missing eye patch. The eye patch was – or should I say wasn’t – on a Simmental bull that was recently exported to Italy for semen collection. Some of these export markets are very particular on markings, and a solid white head is desirable for many.
Neither the vendor nor the photographer are laying claim to the artwork and it appears a mysterious third party altered the photo, in a bid to cause controversy.
The lockdown boredom must really have got to some people.
A farmer in Cheshire, England, was left scratching his head after a local walker posted a letter of complaint through the door.
The ranting rambler was sounding off about cattle standing too near the gate in the farmer’s field.
The letter demanded the cows be “secured” to allow walkers to tramp all over the grass – on a private farm field.
Walkers have the right to roam in the UK, but they must not cause any damage. Traffic on farm paths and walkways has rocketed since lockdown began, as walking was one of the few permitted options for leaving your home.
Some farmers were happy to play tour guide, giving explanations of their field work to passersby. But this particular harping hiker wasn’t happy with farmers feeding the nation, educating the public and looking after the environment – he also wanted the farms turned into pleasure parks too.
New and old faces return to Dáil farm benches
I see that Seán Sherlock is making a return to farming as the Labour Party’s new spokesperson on agriculture.
Sherlock already has form here, previously holding the role between 2007 and 2011. Matt Carthy of Sinn Féin has been appointed the party’s agriculture spokesperson.
Carthy has form too. Expect plenty of discussion on convergence and farm incomes.
Meanwhile, the latest to be handed a portfolio in Agriculture House is Martin Heydon.
The Kildare farmer has been handed responsibility for research and development, farm safety, and new market development.
The Dealer is looking forward to some head-butting in the Dáil chamber.
‘Will you mind me sheep?’
I see a bystander at a hurling match in the west of Ireland was made into a shepherd during a game last week.
“Number 13 there with the green helmet is after running over to me, saying here will you mind me trailer outside there. I’ve a couple of sheep in it,” the bystander says on a video doing the rounds on Twitter.
The spectator had no issue in looking after them. A great show of “sportsmansheep” indeed.
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