Deputy president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), Lorcan McCabe, is set to resign from his position.
He confirmed his intention to Agriland today (Tuesday, March 15), citing work commitments and time pressures associated with his dairy farm as the primary reasons.
The Cavanman has completed just over one year of a three-year term and this is his second term as deputy president of the association.
He was first elected farm business chairperson in 2010 where he served for six years before being elected deputy president for the first time in December 2016, succeeding Pat McCormack.
He told Agriland that he informed the executive committee of the ICMSA yesterday (Monday, March 15) of his plan to resign.
It is understood that a new deputy president will be elected in approximately one month.
Juggling his farming enterprise with his ICMSA commitments had become too much in recent times, he said.
“It is workload, and availability of labour really. There is no other reason for it,” he said.
“I would have loved to have stayed on but it is hard. All my family are away in their own jobs and college and there is nobody at home whatsoever. I had that little bit of a fallback before, but not now.
“Also, a man that helped me milk the cows for 20 years retired last summer, so that safety net is gone too.”
The dairy farmer said that finding people to help out on the farm is not easy and long trips in the car driving to meetings were taking their toll.
“We had a meeting recently in Limerick and it lasted about an hour and a half, but I was on the road for six hours and 32 minutes. I am beginning to see that my geographical location is not a help.”
Reflecting on his decision he said:
“I know that some people will be disappointed, people who supported me. I have given it my best but I think this year, I have been too stretched to give it my best.”
He said that is was very thankful for the array opportunities that the ICMSA has afforded him over the years.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, I would love to stay but I can’t be milking 80 cows and be on the road at the same time.
“I am on national council since 2000, bar one year, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. We are not a political family, we were never involved in politics, but the ICMSA gives great opportunities to people who make an effort and want to progress on it.
“I am very grateful to the ICMSA, for the people I have met, the various committees I have been on, and the opportunities it gave me; to see how politics works, meeting the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, loads of things that never in my life would I have done.
He said he hopes to continue on national council into the future if the local ICMSA branch deems him “up for the job”.