Mercosur and tough talks with the meat factories are the immediate priorities on the horizon for newly elected president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) Edmond Phelan.
Phelan was elected president of the farmer organisation following a close contest between himself and two other candidates: Dermot Kelleher, the current regional vice-president for Munster; and Hugh Farrell, chairperson of the ICSA Animal Health and Welfare Committee.
The initial vote – held at the organisation’s election in Portlaoise last night, Thursday, June 27 – saw a tie on first preferences between Phelan and Kelleher; following the distribution of Farrell’s votes, Phelan was elected with a greater share of second-preference votes.
Hailing from Fenor, Co Waterford, where he runs a beef enterprise, Phelan is a former beef chair of ICSA. He will take up his position as ICSA president immediately.
Speaking to AgriLand directly after his election, the new president outlined his immediate priorities in no uncertain terms:
The first thing is the Mercosur agreement; I think that’s the big one coming down the tracks. Now if that means that we have to go to Brussels next week then so be it – I’ve the suitcase ready and packed.
“We’ll have to talk to the meat factories; as Sean McNamara (ICSA sheep chairman) says, there may be another sheep protest very soon – it may have to be extended to beef factories.”
On the factories, Phelan added: “They’re just playing silly beggars with us – they know three months ahead what they’re getting for the beef – but they don’t want to pay us. How many private jets and private hospitals and office blocks do they need to own?”
Turning to the ICSA election, following a busy campaign, the new president said: “It was a very good, clean contest with the other people; there wasn’t a dirty blow struck and I’m very thankful for that and thankful to all the people for coming.
We’ve a big job of work to do – and it starts tomorrow.
On stage giving his first speech to the organisation as president, Phelan expanded on the threat a Mercosur deal could pose:
“ICSA is vehemently opposed to any Mercosur deal that includes a tariff rate quota for beef.
“The Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture has this week backed that position. ICSA will now be pushing for this backing to translate into the deal being voted down when it comes before the Dáil.
“Of equal importance is getting the €100 million EU beef fund to the most deserving farmers in short order.
“Farmers in the cattle sector have endured a really difficult period and it is urgent that the money is paid to those farmers without them having to jump through any more hoops. For this reason, ICSA will continue to oppose any conditionality attached to accessing this fund.
We also need to turn the debate on climate change towards policies which recognise the positive contribution of farmers in terms of more renewables and recognising increased efficiencies in minimising emissions and proper accounting of sequestration.
“While the Climate Action Plan will be very challenging for the agriculture sector, farmers will always respond to the right incentives.”