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The idea of a suckler scrappage scheme was mooted from the floor at the Galway IFA presidential hustings on Monday night in Athenry.
During questions to the deputy candidates Thomas Cooney and Brian Rushe, farmer Thomas Flaherty from the Eyrecourt branch asked the two candidates if there should be a beef “scrappage scheme” for the suckler cow.
“There’s no room for the suckler cow, no respect for the suckler cow. Maybe if we got a good scheme we’d get rid of them altogether,” he said.
Good crowd here tonight in Galway, in the region of 130-150 in so far. #IFAelections pic.twitter.com/oGaB9gKrhe
— Amy Forde (@amyforde6) November 4, 2019
In response Rushe said he was not in favour of such a plan, saying: “I’m in favour of making sure there’s an alternative there if people want to get out. I’m not in favour of a total wipe-out scrappage scheme.”
Thomas Cooney replied that there would “have to be a viable alternative on the table before we look at” a scrappage scheme, adding that it would have to be a voluntary measure if it did come in.
Dairy quota
Farmer Seán Branelly said that the day the dairy quota went in Ireland was the death knell for sucklers.
"All these Friesian, Angus, Herefords, Jerseys … goats of calves being fattened up in feedlots and ruining my livelihood," he said.
Presidential candidates
Despite weekend statements from Tim Cullinan and then Angus Woods, there was no war of words between the two at the top table on Monday night.
Cullinan got one dig in, saying that he believes he is “the only candidate with radical proposals to meet the challenges facing farmers, unlike the inaction of Angus and John".
He continued the jab saying: "John [Coughlan]’s only contribution is sitting on the fence while there was serious decisions to be made”.
Tim Cullinan is first up. He says it "costs €10.5m a year to run the association, we need to be getting value for that money". He says he is the only candidate with "radical proposals" and calls out what he says is the "inaction" of Angus Woods and John Coughlan. pic.twitter.com/diVR70wPqO
— Amy Forde (@amyforde6) November 4, 2019
Beef and the future of the IFA was the running theme of questions to the presidential candidates.
On IFA reform, Corofin farmer Stephen Canavan said there was disconnect between the association's hierarchy and ordinary grassroots members.
“There were protests earlier in the year and we saw two more breakaway groups representing farmers. This has happened going back 20 years. Since then five or six different associations are purporting to represent farmers.
“It’s quite obvious that the reason they were set up [is because they were] disillusioned with this association and feeling it’s not delivering for them," Canavan said.
“The silence was deafening the time of the protest. Our neighbours and farmers [were on the gates and] you hopped in fairly smart when it came to a head. You were all there for the photographs and I’m not trying to be funny.
“We looked rather foolish having seven organisations going in fighting for our rights. What are you going to do differently to ensure that all farmers in this country will want to support the IFA and that the IFA can come out and say the IFA have delivered for every farmer all the time,” he asked.
Protest response
In response John Coughlan said: “As an IFA leader and national council member, we discussed the beef crisis for a number of months. I did not go to the gates, I kept cattle at home.”
Angus Woods says "we need to change, move, modernise, we've got to adjust". He says he's different and not populist and "always tells the truth". pic.twitter.com/ChvT8MnR3o
— Amy Forde (@amyforde6) November 4, 2019
Angus Woods said that the IFA analysed the protests up and down.
“We had numerous meetings of the livestock committee and national council,” he said, adding that he was on the EU’s meat market observatory committee.
“It would be wrong for me to know exactly what the price of beef was around Europe and to disregard that information and bring farmers to the gates knowing the price wasn’t there at the time. [Farmers] expect us to make hard and right decisions, we have to do it for the benefit for the members,” he said.
John Coughlan says that IFA needs to be honest and defend farmers at all times "but to do that it needs to communicate". He proposes live streaming some important IFA meetings so that farmers can view them. He calls for more IFA meetings at farm level. pic.twitter.com/Pcphz0CXcd
— Amy Forde (@amyforde6) November 4, 2019
Bullets
Tim Cullinan said that when he was asked by local farmers and friends to support them on the gates of factories, he supported them.
“I had a bullet put through my head for doing that. I don’t mind. I’ll take bullets anywhere if it’s the right thing for farmers. We should have gotten in the ring.
“I’m concerned if there’s branch members who won’t come out. That’s a concern. Other farm organisations are a major concern. I’ll do everything in my power to get people back together.
“We didn’t listen. Twenty thousand people have moved on to another organisation, they’re probably still members, but we have to work tirelessly to get them back into our association.”
See this week’s Irish Farmers Journal for more.
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