Following the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) regional meeting in Navan, Co. Meath for election candidates, I left both angry and shocked at how much a once great farm representative organisation has sunken to a place where, not only are they not at negotiating tables to fight on our behalf, but they are also not even in the room.
Political infighting, spite and backstabbing only has one outcome – wipeout.
The IFA has suffered serious damage caused by people that decided it needed fixing. In today’s world if someone is providing you with good professional service you pay them well.
The recent nitrates change alone will cost farmers more in a year than the IFA levy would cost for numerous lifetimes.
Never has there been a greater need for a strong united IFA. It’s up to all of us to row in behind new leadership to rebuild a great organisation and regain our rightful place at negotiation tables that will determine our future viability.
The environmental lobby is that strong that people are convinced that if this country could be ethnically cleansed of farmers, dairy cows, and beef cattle they would bring an immediate halt to global warming.
Time for unity with IFA
It’s high time we, together with a vibrant IFA, unite to counteract this tirade of nonsense and promote our great story, fact not fiction.
We are the original green team. We farm in harmony with nature. We feed more birds, bees, and wildlife on our farms every day than every bird box in Europe will feed in a decade.
We contribute greatly to our economy, generating billions of revenue in food exports. We play a huge role in helping keep millions alive daily with a safe, secure, sustainable, and affordable supply of top-quality food.
We do what it says on the tin. We produce food with an environmental straight-jacket of EU regulations on our back, whilst competing in markets with food produced in countries with scant regard for environmental human rights or climate change giving our competitors a huge cost advantage.
We invest heavily in the latest technology to improve efficiency and reduce out carbon footprint, including huge investments in slurry storage and spreading equipment.
A far cry from an under resourced Uisce Éireann, fighting a losing battle to keep wastewater treatment in line with demand.
I hope under new leadership IFA can be returned to its once great former self. It’s up to us all to ensure it happens. Someone must shout stop.
It’s beyond time to call out the hypocrisy and double standards. We must stand our ground, or we won’t be left with ground to stand on.
From Ned Ward, Co. Meath.