A representative from the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has outlined that all lobby groups must “park up their differences” and work collectively to resolve the current impasse in the beef industry.
The IFA’s regional chairman for Ulster/north Leinster, Nigel Renaghan, has said it is unhelpful to see “one farm organisation doing one thing and another organisation doing another thing”.
We have to be big enough to understand that it’s the farmers that are suffering here and one organisation trying to get ‘one up’ on another farming organisation isn’t the way to do it.
Continuing, Renaghan believes that lobby groups should “issue joint statements and engage in joint action throughout these talks and get together for one cause”.
Continuing, he added: “If farmers are going to take action in the form of protests or demonstrations, then we – the farmers – should do it together as a collective”.
He expressed his frustration at current talk amongst farmers saying “my organisation wants to do this and yours wants to do that” saying, “to hear this kind of talk – just shows a lack of leadership”.
Concluding, he reiterated that instead of a divided reaction from farm organisations following this evening’s talks, an agreement should be made on a joint statement from all lobby groups combined.