The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) is in the midst of seeking voluntary early retirements from its staff across the country, AgriLand has learned.

Over the last 10 days, it is understood that a number of letters have been issued from the association’s headquarters offering voluntary early retirement to staff aged between 50 and 63 years.

The move comes at a time when the organisation appears to be positioning itself for a number of reforms in a bid to balance and sustain the association’s finances and membership going forward.

The IFA declined to comment on the issuing of the letters outlined above.

Membership fee

Last December, the association’s National Council supported a move to increase the annual fee for its membership by approximately €10 from January 1, 2020.

As such, the membership fee increased from a rate of €80 per farmer in 2019 to €90 per farmer this year.

In addition, it was also confirmed that the acreage charge for a farmer member with a land mass amounting to more than 32ac would increase from 70c/ac to 90c/ac, again. This also came into play from the beginning of the year.

Other structural amendments to the farm lobby organisation that have been mooted in recent times include: the re-introduction of regional meetings; changes to the association’s National Livestock Committee; and additional changes at county executive meetings to allow for greater branch input.