Battling to lead the farmers of Ulster/north Leinster

Two farmers are fighting it out to be chair of IFA’s Ulster/North Leinster region. They are Monaghan farmer Nigel Renaghan, chair of IFA’s poultry committee, and IFA Cavan chair James Speares. Both have been involved for years in representing their neighbouring farmers in the organisation, know the local roads inside out and are therefore quite well known across this big region. Voting will be carried out by county executives over the first two weeks of December. The winner will take up the position at the time of the IFA annual general meeting, likely to be held in January.

James Speares is a dairy farmer who also finishes beef.

He is now a Glanbia supplier, having started out as a member of the nearby Poles Co-op. Calves are brought to beef and generally sold to Liffey Meats. “I try to support local business,” the Stradone man says.

James is married to Hazel. Two of their sons are farming. Daniel is milking his own herd on a leased farm a mile from the home base, while Andrew is in all beef. Meanwhile, their other son Richard works in banking while their youngest, Emma, is studying at third level.

James highlights his long record of work in IFA. He served on three national committees: environment, farm business and rural development. His current role as Cavan county chair is a busy one – meetings with farmers and with other groups on behalf of farmers. He led delegations to meet Liffey Meats and other factories. “It’s important that IFA makes farmers’ concerns known to the factories, that prices are just not high enough.” He has been in to meet the Department of Agriculture on TB and animal health matters, and on payment issues. “We have got great co-operation from our local DVO. They try to help farmers wherever they can.”

He has met with Cavan County Council on issues such as the Greenway and with local gardaí on rural crime. It’s a very broad role. He will finish his term next February. “I feel I am ready now to serve as regional chair,” he says. “The position of regional chair is clearly busy, but with two sons farming, I have the time.”

An important part of the role is serving on the advisory board of the IFA president, he says. “People don’t realise how busy the president is. The president can’t be everywhere at once. He needs people to let him know what’s happening in the different regions. That means coordinating with seven different counties. New issues will come up every day.”

Priorities

He knows farmers’ priorities. “Farm income is the big national issue that we must work on every day. Inspections are a big concern – we need a more robust charter of rights and Yellow card system. He is concerned about the impact on farmers of rising costs, in particular costs arising from bureaucracy and regulation. “Given that prices for farmers’ produce are so low, this burden of paperwork is very unwelcome. There’s a lot of paperwork, a lot of duplication.”

Nonetheless, he is optimistic about the future of farming in Ireland.

Dairy price volatility must be addressed and more direct support is needed for the suckler, sheep and tillage sectors. Live exports must be increased. Retailer dominance must be tackled with legislation at EU and national levels.

Monaghan farmer Nigel Renaghan has very clear ideas about the role of IFA regional chair.

“It’s about getting the county chairs together and formulating plans for the farmers in the region, on the issues that are important to them on the ground. It’s about delivering these plans in a unified approach.

“If I’m put into the position of regional chair for a four-year term then I will make a four-year plan and chase it down. I’m not claiming I’ll put a roof over the country.

“But I’ll sit down with county chairs and branch members and find out what’s top of their list. We’ll make a list of four or five things we need to achieve and prioritise them.

“I’m not telling farmers what I’ll do for them – that’s a top-down approach. I want to work from the bottom up. So I’m asking them what they want done – and that’s what I will work at. Farmers in different areas all have different issues.

“I want a modern, forceful IFA driven by active farmers that can shape policy and defend farmers’ interests.”

He cut his teeth on the farm business committee. He left it to concentrate on the challenges of being poultry chair. Those challenges came thick and fast, but he’s satisfied that he battled well for his fellow poultry farmers.

“I’m proven in the sector that I represented. I delivered for them.

“When I was elected, I said that the first thing I’d get farmers was money. We got an increase in prices. I said we’d need to get grants – I got TAMS for poultry farmers, for the first time ever.

“My third target was to get funding for biomass, to make producers more competitive. I haven’t got it yet but the Government is finally moving in that direction.

“I said that training was needed and we’re now getting that. I was on the interview panel seeking a poultry adviser to be based in Ballyhaise. We’ve selected one of the candidates and have offered them the position. This means we will be able to commence poultry training courses in 2018 – after a gap of 20 years.”

Commitment

He got a commitment from Supermacs to use 100% Irish poultry. “I’ve got commitments from retailers to sell Irish chicken, even though Irish chicken is more expensive than imported. Of the chicken you see on sale in shops in Ireland, 97% or 98% is Bord Bia approved and produced in Ireland. As a result, there’s expansion taking place among producers.”

Nigel will finish his role as IFA Poultry chair shortly.

He and his wife Bernice farm at Clontibret. While he is campaigning for this election, Bernice is running the farm. The couple have six children: Pat, Peter, Katie, Coleen, Sofia and Hugh.