Louise Crowley has been elected as the new chair of Limerick Irish Farmers' Association (IFA), making her the youngest county chair in the organisation at present.

The Croom dairy farmer beat off competition from the county’s sheep chair Anglesboro farmer Eddie Moriarty at the Limerick IFA AGM at the Woodlands House Hotel in Adare on Wednesday night.

Limerick IFA said it was not announcing the exact voting result, but added that there was a big turnout and it was a close contest.

Crowley had been the county secretary for the past four years and will take over from outgoing chair Seán Lavery.

Priorities

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Crowley named retaining the nitrates derogation, forestry and TB among her priorities as chair over the next four years.

“There are a lot of issues coming down the tracks that have been there for a number of years that still need to be dealt with. I’m a derogation farmer myself. It is an upmost priority to keep what we have.

“I don’t have any forestry myself, but listening to the members on the ground in Limerick for the last number of years highlighting the seriousness of ash dieback, bark beetle and dealing with roadside maintenance, all of these issues and the lack of action for a number of years has to be one of the top priorities to deal with.

“You also have TB - over the last number of years we have seen massive increases in TB reactors and farms getting locked up across the county,” she added.

Young farmers

Crowley also said that as a young farmer herself, generational renewal will be high on her agenda.

“As a younger farmer, generational renewal has to be a big priority for me, one that I would have worked on and lobbied on for a number of years in Macra.

"I will continue to do so. I think it really needs to be pushed home and the younger farmer needs to be very vocal on it,” she said.

The dairy farmer added that she decided to run for county chair to encourage other young farmers to get involved in the IFA.

If you can’t see it, you don’t do it

“For me growing up, it was always; if you can’t see it, you don’t do it. That was part of why I put my name forward - if I was successful and did get elected, it might encourage other young farmers to put their name out there to take a county role or just get involved somehow.

“I’ve been very lucky that I was brought up with my dad telling me ‘if you're capable, then go for it. Your age doesn’t matter or if you’re male or female, if you have your qualifications, they should speak for themselves.’

"I felt that I was qualified, so I said I would go for it.

“I hope it will encourage some younger farmers to get involved, come to county executive meetings, engage and find out a bit more,” she said.

Succession scheme

On a potential succession scheme, Crowley said there has to be policy brought in to make the agricultural landscape easier for young farmers while “protecting the current farmer as well”.

“Marca for years has been trying to get a farm succession scheme over the line, which is one that the IFA are on board with.

“Something concrete has to be put in place. For the younger farmer and the current farmer, it has to be a streamlined process so both know they are going to be protected and provided for,” she added.

Outgoing chair

Crowley also paid tribute to the outgoing chair.

“I would like to acknowledge the work Seán Lavery has done for the last four years. He came in during COVID and it wasn’t the easiest start to the role as chair, but he has done phenomenal work for Limerick farmers over the last couple of years,” she said.