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The IFA is operating a two-tier system when it comes to its member services, based on whether or not a farmer pays the IFA levy at marts and processors.
The association has tailored it services, with an IFA spokesperson telling the Irish Farmers Journal that it believes “it is fair to prioritise access to services such as direct payments assistance, our legal helpline and our debt support service, towards farmers who are contributing fully”, by paying the levy. The levy consists of a 0.15% charge, or 15c on every €100 of sales by farmers. In 2018, it netted €3.2m for the IFA. This figure, divided by its 72,000 members, would equate to just over €40 per member. Farmers who decide not to pay the levy must fill out a form with their herd number, name and address, which is then passed onto the IFA by the mart or processor collecting the money. The IFA has said that it has sought a meeting with the Data Protection Commissioner on the issue in relation to GDPR. The IFA refused to comment on how many marts are collecting the levy, how long it has been collecting the farmer details for and whether or not it had met with ABP in the last two years in relation to levy collection. It also refused to comment on whether it has any plans to rebuild support through the levy structure, lost as a result of the opt-out system. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmer’s Association (ICSA) has called on the data protection commissioner to investigate the IFA levy structure.
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