I used to have a huge interest in politics and regularly published letters in the national newspapers. That was 10 years ago when I had time on my hands and before the recession brought out the worst in our political class.
Since then, it’s hard not to be cynical so I turned away completely from politics.
My interest was aroused again though, with the politics of agri-business this time, after the extensive report into various farmers’ levies by this publication. The main issue this time is Larry Goodman’s ABP changing its policy on how farmers pay their EIF levy. The IFA responded by suspending ABP’s permission to collect the levy.
What struck me, however, was the difference highlighted on two pages of the print edition of the Irish Farmers Journal. First up, the IFA president and the regional chairs said they disagreed with ABP’s move. Turn on to the next page and there were comments from a number of farmers who agreed with ABP’s decision to stop automatically collecting the levy.
Whatever about the IFA v Larry Goodman, the bigger problem looks like the IFA hierarchy v ordinary farmers.
Member
I should state here that I’m a member of the IFA and I believe there are few unions in Ireland that have done more for their members than the IFA have over the past decades. However, the distance between top and bottom in the organisation was exposed with the pay scandal in late 2015. On the surface, the issue was the salary paid to top brass, but the unhappiness of ordinary members ran much deeper than that. In reality, these salaries were just the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Nearly 12 months later, after huge attempts to present itself as a reformed entity, it seems the IFA hierarchy is still not on the same page as the farmers it represents. The levy issue is yet another unresolved problem, exposed this time by Larry Goodman.
Back to farming
Moving away from politics and back on to the actual farming front, we purchased what will hopefully be the nucleus of our sheep flock last week. These were Belclare-Texel ewe lambs who’ll be tupped by a Llyen ram in mid-October.
In the first instance, we will keep ewe lambs from this cross to build up numbers of maternal sheep on the farm. The medium-term plan is to produce excess maternal ewe lambs and hoggets to be sold at breeding sales.
Like the politics side of things, decisions taken now will have far-reaching consequences for the enterprise into the future.
Kieran Sullivan and his brother farm part-time in Co Waterford. You can follow him on Twitter: @kieran_sullivan
Read more
Read more from Kieran Sullivan
http://www.farmersjournal.ie/50m-in-levies-taken-from-farmers-221651
Industry not following Goodman’s lead
I used to have a huge interest in politics and regularly published letters in the national newspapers. That was 10 years ago when I had time on my hands and before the recession brought out the worst in our political class.
Since then, it’s hard not to be cynical so I turned away completely from politics.
My interest was aroused again though, with the politics of agri-business this time, after the extensive report into various farmers’ levies by this publication. The main issue this time is Larry Goodman’s ABP changing its policy on how farmers pay their EIF levy. The IFA responded by suspending ABP’s permission to collect the levy.
What struck me, however, was the difference highlighted on two pages of the print edition of the Irish Farmers Journal. First up, the IFA president and the regional chairs said they disagreed with ABP’s move. Turn on to the next page and there were comments from a number of farmers who agreed with ABP’s decision to stop automatically collecting the levy.
Whatever about the IFA v Larry Goodman, the bigger problem looks like the IFA hierarchy v ordinary farmers.
Member
I should state here that I’m a member of the IFA and I believe there are few unions in Ireland that have done more for their members than the IFA have over the past decades. However, the distance between top and bottom in the organisation was exposed with the pay scandal in late 2015. On the surface, the issue was the salary paid to top brass, but the unhappiness of ordinary members ran much deeper than that. In reality, these salaries were just the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Nearly 12 months later, after huge attempts to present itself as a reformed entity, it seems the IFA hierarchy is still not on the same page as the farmers it represents. The levy issue is yet another unresolved problem, exposed this time by Larry Goodman.
Back to farming
Moving away from politics and back on to the actual farming front, we purchased what will hopefully be the nucleus of our sheep flock last week. These were Belclare-Texel ewe lambs who’ll be tupped by a Llyen ram in mid-October.
In the first instance, we will keep ewe lambs from this cross to build up numbers of maternal sheep on the farm. The medium-term plan is to produce excess maternal ewe lambs and hoggets to be sold at breeding sales.
Like the politics side of things, decisions taken now will have far-reaching consequences for the enterprise into the future.
Kieran Sullivan and his brother farm part-time in Co Waterford. You can follow him on Twitter: @kieran_sullivan
Read more
Read more from Kieran Sullivan
http://www.farmersjournal.ie/50m-in-levies-taken-from-farmers-221651
Industry not following Goodman’s lead
SHARING OPTIONS