The IFA is gathering at the gates of a farm which is due to be sold on Thursday by the so-called vulture fund Everyday.

The association says it is opposed to the forced sale of lands in Co Offaly.

The farm has been advertised for sale online on the BRG Gibson auctions platform and is scheduled to be auctioned at noon.

Chair of the IFA's debt support service Martin Stapleton said that IFA had attempted to negotiate with the fund earlier this week on behalf of the family, but that the fund wouldn't budge.

"Vulture funds have no understanding of the family farm. Their only objective is to get as much money as they can as quickly as they can.

"They are not willing to allow a reasonable amount of time for farmers to repay their debts. They just want to cash in," he said.

"It is not acceptable for vulture funds to force the sale of land that has come as security with a debt bought from a bank when there is a viable alternative."

Solidarity

Stapleton asked the farming community to stand together in solidarity with the Conway family in opposing the sale of the property.

"The Conway family put forward a credible proposal to make structured repayments. The vulture fund has refused the offer from the Conway family to pay the debt in full. This is completely unacceptable to [the] IFA."

He said farm families should get time to repay their debts over a longer term to keep the farm intact.

"[The] IFA will stand firmly behind farmers who are committed to agreeing and implementing a credible solution to settle their debts," he said.

IFA farm business chair Rose Mary McDonagh said there is an inextricable link between farm businesses and family homes passed down through generations of farm families.

"On the back of the strong offer made by the Conway family to repay this debt, [the] IFA cannot stand by and allow this forced sale," she said.

"The fund and the auction house should halt the sale immediately and re-engage with the IFA and the Conway family," she said.

IFA protest on the farm of Matt and Mary Conway.