IHFA sends letter of notice to members as date set for EGM
The board of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) has given notice to its members that a date for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) has been set.
The notice which was sent out to members today (Wednesday November 5) confirmed that the EGM will take place on Thursday, November 27.
The meeting which will take place at 2p.m in the Horse & Jockey Hotel in Thurles Co. Tipperary, plans to discuss the proposed GenÉireann initiative.
Letter of notice
In the letter of notice, signed by chief executive Laurence Feeney, the board acknowledges and ratifies the 'concerned members' valid requisition.
The said valid requisition stated: “We, the undersigned concerned members of the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA), hereby formally request the calling of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Society.
"This request is made in relation to the proposed GenÉireann initiative."
"We further request that no further actions or commitments be undertaken regarding the GenÉireann proposal until after the EGM has been held and members have had the opportunity to fully consider and vote on the matter.”
In the notice, the IHFA also put forward the proposed ordinary resolution: "To discuss the proposed GenÉireann initiative and to recommend to the board to develop to the next phase.
"If progressing the project, to spend no excess money until permission of the board and further information meeting(s) of members."
According to the Irish Legal Guide, ordinary resolutions require more than 50% of entitled voters to agree.
GenÉireann initiative
The EGM was requested by a group of "concerned members", who sent over 100 letters, including individual herd numbers, to the IHFA.
This was done after the members discovered that the IHFA was considering a number of proposals under a document titled GenÉireann.
These proposals included the development of a 'nucleus herd' and a new full service IVF breeding facility as part of a strategy to "increase genetic gain".
It is understood that this would be done through the establishment of a new company.
The concerned members previously stated that the project "fundamentally alters the association’s role."
The members also raised concerns over the cost project, estimating a potential investment in the region of "€1.5 million" could be needed based primarily on their own calculated costs of sourcing land and pedigree animals.
