That fact that there is currently no dairy reduction, the outgoing president of the Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA), Tim Cullinan said, is a “testament to those attending” the 69th annual general meeting (AGM) of the IFA.
Being held today (Tuesday, January 9) at the Irish Farm Centre in Co. Dublin, the IFA AGM first heard from Cullinan, whose role as IFA president has now been taken over by Francie Gorman.
The AGM offered Cullinan a chance to reflect on his four year term, which included many issues, most notably the Covid-19 pandemic, and Ireland’s challenges towards tackling emissions.
Cullinan said the reduction of emissions targets to 25% from the agriculture sector to meet Ireland’s climate commitments was aided by the “largest [IFA] campaign” during his term.
The previously required target of 30% was then changed to 25% he said, and Cullinan complimented the IFA county chairs in attendance in their campaigning to achieve this, in particular, those that campaigned against a reduction of the dairy herd.
The visit of European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius to Ireland did not have the outcome Cullinan desired, as he wished for the commissioner to get out and visit Irish farms to see the work being done there on the “grass-based system”.
Instead, Cullinan said his coordinated visit meant he was “lassoed…into government buildings” and was “never left” out for the duration of the visit.
IFA president
Calling his role as president an “honor and a privilege”, Cullinan referred back to the early days of his presidential term, and said that the Covid-19 pandemic was an obstacle that had to be faced in Irish farming.
“We were all concerned with Brexit. Little did we think a pandemic was down the line,” he said.
Key to this was to reach out to the older members of the farming community, which Cullinan said each of the county chairs present in the room for the AGM were key in driving.
He said the “concern” shown by the county chairs was essential for the more isolated farmers to know “there was somebody out there”.
Cullinan also said that “trying to drive online bidding was a huge challenge” at this stage of the pandemic, but that it was one that helped farmers.
The decision not to reschedule the presidential and deputy presidential candidate hustings in Co. Kerry in October 2023 was “disappointing”, Cullinan said, but added that going forward, it is important that those in IFA positions in Kerry would be “respected”.
The IFA’s AGM today will later hear the Taoiseach discuss both the opportunities and challenges that farm families are facing in 2024.
IFA members will also hear from all three ministers in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, including Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Ministers of State, Pippa Hackett and Martin Heydon.