Martin McElearney, a dairy farmer from Co. Monaghan, has today (Tuesday, November 3) been elected chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Dairy Committee.
He was elected to succeed Stephen Arthur at a meeting of the committee which was held in the Irish Farm Centre in Dublin.
McElearney, who is farming in Ballybay, will begin his term at the 70th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the IFA next January.
It has also been confirmed that Eamon Mooney from Castlecomer in Co. Kilkenny has been elected vice-chair of the IFA Dairy Committee, succeeding Alan Jagoe in that role.
IFA
Speaking after his election, Martin McElearney thanked outgoing dairy committee chair Stephen Arthur for “the huge work and effort he put into the role”.
“We face many challenges in the dairy sector, particularly the retention of the nitrates derogation and keeping a strong milk price to cover the high costs of production.
“The burden of regulation and sustainability falls on the farmer and that is something that has to be rectified.
“I look forward to working not only with the Dairy Committee, but all in IFA to represent and lobby on behalf of farmers,” he said.
The members of the IFA National Dairy Committee are elected by farm organisation’s 29 county executives.
The committee also includes the IFA Munster Regional chair Conor O’Leary the chair of the Liquid Milk Committee, Henry Dunne and Macra representative Liam Hanrahan.
Among the most important issues for the committee are milk prices, the economic sustainability of dairy farmers, the retention of the nitrates derogation and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.