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Farmers have a number of decisions to make now. First – who to believe. ABP was first out with a statement yesterday, claiming it has decided to change its procedure for collecting levies because of farmer disquiet. It has seen an increase in farmers opting out, it said.
IFA president Joe Healy yesterday responded, linking the move to his refusal to buckle under on ABP’s desire to take over another meat plant – Slaney. In recent weeks, IFA submitted a report to DG Competition in Brussels – carried out by a competition economist – saying the takeover would weaken competition for beef cattle “even further”.
The two issues were raised by ABP management when he met them on Tuesday, he said.
Could ABP be cynically taking the opportunity to weaken the two main farm unions and thereby cattle farmers? The sharply observant Goodman company certainly knows that if ever there was a time to act on levies this was it.
Listen to Irish Farmers Journal editor Justin McCarthy discuss Wednesday's developments in our podcast below:
After learning of high pay to the former IFA general secretary and to former IFA presidents, some farmers opted out of paying levies. All members of IFA and ICMSA agree they’re a less than perfect way of funding the two farm unions. IFA reviewed the system but says it couldn’t identify a better way.
Meanwhile, farmers who sell to ABP plants must also decide what to do about the levy on their own factory cheque, and the situation is confusing. ABP says it will continue to collect the €1.80 per animal if that’s what a farmer wants. The IFA says ABP no longer has the authority to collect for it. ICMSA members can presumably continue to pay levies. If they do, will all the €1.80 go to the Limerick organisation or will the IFA share be held in limbo in some Goodman account?
More seriously, the ABP move brings closer the day when farmers will have to sit down and revisit a question last properly debated by their grandparents – what do they want and expect from their farm unions and how are they going to fund them?
SHARING OPTIONS: