What are the IFA up too

bob charles

So we are to have a day of protest on the 9/10/12. What fool taught up of this strategy

from the Indo

"The Irish Farmers' Association yesterday announced plans for the day of action, which will include a major protest in Dublin, in a bid to stop further cuts to their EU and government grants"

Talking about doing farmers PR no favours. I think this is a crazy unbelievable move

blue5000

Agree with you Bob, it wouldn't have anything to do with elections now would it???

rancher

bob charles wrote: »

So we are to have a day of protest on the 9/10/12. What fool taught up of this strategy

from the Indo

"The Irish Farmers' Association yesterday announced plans for the day of action, which will include a major protest in Dublin, in a bid to stop further cuts to their EU and government grants"

Talking about doing farmers PR no favours. I think this is a crazy unbelievable move

Ah, go on, make my day.....buy a journal and read about it.
Hope all the incessant whingers about IFA staying very quiet support this,

Conmaicne Mara

I have read the piece in the Journal about this, I don't know what was written in the Indo about it. There comes a time when drastic times require drastic measures. I believe that time was at least two-three years ago, but higher than "normal" prices somewhat softened a lot of blows, and there was a lot of chaos and confusion throughout the economy.

Farmers need to stand up and make themselves count, absolutely no one else will do it for us. Every other sector in the economy would be quite happy for us to sit on our hands, terrified at the thought that someone might tut-tut at us.

A lot of farmers have already lost their REPS, some will have taken hits on DAS and other payments, as well as stock prices being back. I can't remember the details but teachers (not to single out anyone) were talked about a few days ago, and what they gave up didn't amount to a hill of beans. It's high time some of this pain was spread to the Broke Park sector.

Sometimes more than talk is required to focus a few minds.

rancher

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

I have read the piece in the Journal about this, I don't know what was written in the Indo about it. There comes a time when drastic times require drastic measures. I believe that time was at least two-three years ago, but higher than "normal" prices somewhat softened a lot of blows, and there was a lot of chaos and confusion throughout the economy.

Farmers need to stand up and make themselves count, absolutely no one else will do it for us. Every other sector in the economy would be quite happy for us to sit on our hands, terrified at the thought that someone might tut-tut at us.

A lot of farmers have already lost their REPS, some will have taken hits on DAS and other payments, as well as stock prices being back. I can't remember the details but teachers (not to single out anyone) were talked about a few days ago, and what they gave up didn't amount to a hill of beans. It's high time some of this pain was spread to the Broke Park sector.

Sometimes more than talk is required to focus a few minds.

Agree thoroughly, two or three years ago we were first to take cuts but were not keen to protest as there was and still is people worse affected by this recession, but now farmers have taken more than they're fair share of cuts, we have only two options available, lobbying or protesting, unfortunately there's poor support for either. We have 80000 members, how many will be in dublin.....10%...we'll see, Is there enough farmers in real hardship to put a crowd in Dublin or is our SFP insulating us from hardship, I'll be there because I feel we're being ripped of by politicians and senior civil servants who are totally insulated from this recession.

reilig

rancher wrote: »

Ah, go on, make my day.....buy a journal and read about it.
Hope all the incessant whingers about IFA staying very quiet support this,

What will blocking traffic in Dublin for a day do for us apart from making urban dwellers dislike us more?

I think its a crazy move. It brings the IFA back to their 1980's policies.
Surely the IFA's time would be better spent lobbying and negotiating as opposed to organising traffic chaos in the big smoke???

Farmer Pudsey

Do you not know that every IFA Presidant during his term of office has to organise a protest preferable in Dublin. Idealy he shod have a tractorcade as well I am very disappointed it not with tractors with burning barrels at the side of the road. When it is dark it could be led by Ming the Merciless with burning sods of turf on pike.

It really shows that John Byrne has not got the skills to arrange a proper protest. The worst of it is that eavey animal we kill Bob is subsidising the IFA unless we remember to stop the payment.

Black Smoke

Farmers marching in Dublin, in this economic climate is utter madness. To be frank, the past couple of years have been fairly good to farmers, weather aside this year. The bad weather hists many other sectors also.
Shame on the bosses in IFA, for going down this road, and hopefully the little guys, who make up the rank and file will stay home and do something usefull with their time, instead of marching to the tune of the plonkers at the top.

slippy wicket

Pure BS action by the IFA, just up to their usual rabblerousing antics.
Nothing but piss and from those boyos.
And to think they get a % of every litre of milk

keep going

every president has to have his big protest but i think most farmers dont think the goverment has much say in things anymore.probally trying to tap into the fustration with weather

bob charles

I presumed that most farmers would think this is a sucidal move by the IFA and could cause them long term hard from both inside and outside. If mediation isnt working then its time to get rid of whoever is doing the talking on behalf of the IFA.

awaywithyou

will they be headin to coppers after???

rancher

bob charles wrote: »

I presumed that most farmers would think this is a sucidal move by the IFA and could cause them long term hard from both inside and outside. If mediation isnt working then its time to get rid of whoever is doing the talking on behalf of the IFA.

You're reading too many fairy tales if you think politicians are listening to any one these days, there's even legislation being introduced at the moment to discourage the likes of IFA from lobbying TDs or even making representations to senior civil servants on farmers special cases, this is whats going on in government at the moment and you lot are quite happy to let it happen. If this was french farmers.........It's not that they going to stop lobbying but they're going to insist on such a paper trail that it won't be worth the bother,
It can't be possible that only those with special needs and pensioners have the courage to take on this government

cow man

what' it going to be a row of big flashy new tractors holding up dublin commuters andgetting everyone's back up

Black Smoke

rancher wrote: »

bob charles wrote: »

I presumed that most farmers would think this is a sucidal move by the IFA and could cause them long term hard from both inside and outside. If mediation isnt working then its time to get rid of whoever is doing the talking on behalf of the IFA.

You're reading too many fairy tales if you think politicians are listening to any one these days, there's even legislation being introduced at the moment to discourage the likes of IFA from lobbying TDs or even making representations to senior civil servants on farmers special cases, this is whats going on in government at the moment and you lot are quite happy to let it happen. If this was french farmers.........It's not that they going to stop lobbying but they're going to insist on such a paper trail that it won't be worth the bother,
It can't be possible that only those with special needs and pensioners have the courage to take on this government

Farming has done better than most throughout the crisis. Rising prices have helped a lot. They have fkuk all reason to interfere with the economy of Dublin right now.

reilig

rancher wrote: »

You're reading too many fairy tales if you think politicians are listening to any one these days, there's even legislation being introduced at the moment to discourage the likes of IFA from lobbying TDs or even making representations to senior civil servants on farmers special cases, this is whats going on in government at the moment and you lot are quite happy to let it happen. If this was french farmers.........It's not that they going to stop lobbying but they're going to insist on such a paper trail that it won't be worth the bother,
It can't be possible that only those with special needs and pensioners have the courage to take on this government

What do you believe a protest like this will achieve for Irish Farmers?

bbam

Not meaning to be mean or crass but special needs and pensioners have the sympathy of any caring person in the state from all walks of life.
Farmers marching to the Daill is a different matter completely. How short memories we have, was it only March/April that the Journal and every other paper in the country were trumpeting the huge increases in farming incomes, portraying that farmers were coining it. That combined with the talk that agribusiness was to pull us out of the crash, hell, even the Chinese were coming to see our success.
Farmers marching on the Daill will be met with cynicism from everyone outside the farming sector. It will be seen that we are trying to portray ourselves as hard off as special needs if their allowances were cut.

This is a very bad PR move.
If the only thing the IFA can think of is a protest, maybe they're not up to the job.

rancher

bbam wrote: »

Not meaning to be mean or crass but special needs and pensioners have the sympathy of any caring person in the state from all walks of life.
Farmers marching to the Daill is a different matter completely. How short memories we have, was it only March/April that the Journal and every other paper in the country were trumpeting the huge increases in farming incomes, portraying that farmers were coining it. That combined with the talk that agribusiness was to pull us out of the crash, hell, even the Chinese were coming to see our success.
Farmers marching on the Daill will be met with cynicism from everyone outside the farming sector. It will be seen that we are trying to portray ourselves as hard off as special needs if their allowances were cut.

This is a very bad PR move.
If the only thing the IFA can think of is a protest, maybe they're not up to the job.

And the alternative is............
As I said before, myself and the 80000 other members will just have to struggle on without you, the fact that our membership is growing must really sicken the contributors here.
Using words like piss and plonker really sets the mentality of the contributors,

bbam

I happen to be one of your 80,000

The alternative has to be successful lobbying, non relenting lobbying.

Enjoy your day in the big smoke, and as a result all of us will have to put up with the fallout and quips about having little else to do and of course the usual rubbish about big tractors.

freedominacup

bbam wrote: »

I happen to be one of your 80,000

The alternative has to be successful lobbying, non relenting lobbying.

Enjoy your day in the big smoke, and as a result all of us will have to put up with the fallout and quips about having little else to do and of course the usual rubbish about big tractors.

+1.

John Bryan was doing fairly well recently. His media presentation has been very good, well researched, properly prepared, articulate but he's going to look like some gobsh**e trying to spin this clusterf**k on the day in question. Would the branch/county executive who dreamt this up please stand up and explain themselves, talk about too much democracy:mad:. We've been getting a relatively easy ride from the media for the past couple of years, no begrudgery, no unprovoked attacks but anyone who wishes to undermine our position is going to be given enough ammunition to keep their attacks fueled for years.

I know we have energy cost concerns (and their knock on effects) and tax rises to deal with but none of them are exclusive to our industry. The ending of reps and other schemes? I mean who in their right mind believed that these had any long term future? We've had a couple of good years, this time last year we were being praised and feted as one of the saviours of the economy, one wet summer later and some of us think we're due..... what I don't know. Time to grow up lads. There's nothing in the kitty and turning up in Kildare st or anywhere else in Dublin city centre to protest about the weather isn't going to help out case at all.

What we need from the IFA is all of their efforts bent towards ensuring that the expansion we need to achieve in the next decade is facilitated as much as possible by government departments with sensible and workable regulation being the order of the day. We certainly don't need to waste political capital protesting about short term income crunches to a government that can do nothing about the problem while simultaneously annoying a significant proportion of the population outside our industry. This is the PR equivalent of taking down the 12 guage cleaning it meticulously, loading it with a couple of BB cartridges, taking careful aim, letting fly with both barrels and blowing your own foot off.

Black Smoke

freedominacup wrote: »

bbam wrote: »

I happen to be one of your 80,000

The alternative has to be successful lobbying, non relenting lobbying.

Enjoy your day in the big smoke, and as a result all of us will have to put up with the fallout and quips about having little else to do and of course the usual rubbish about big tractors.

+1.

John Bryan was doing fairly well recently. His media presentation has been very good, well researched, properly prepared, articulate but he's going to look like some gobsh**e trying to spin this clusterf**k on the day in question. Would the branch/county executive who dreamt this up please stand up and explain themselves, talk about too much democracy:mad:. We've been getting a relatinely easy ride from the media for the past couple of years, no begrudgery, no unprovoked attacks but anyone who wishes to undermine our position is going to be given enough ammunition to keep their attacks fueled for years.

I know we have energy cost concerns (and their knock on effects) and tax rises to deal with but none of them are exclusive to our industry. The ending of reps and other schemes? I mean who in their right mind believed that these had any long term future? We've had a couple of good years, this time last year we were being praised and feted as one of the saviours of the economy, one wet summer later and some of us think we're due..... what I don't know. Time to grow up lads. There's nothing in the kitty and turning up in Kildare st or anywhere else in Dublin city centre to protest about the weather isn't going to help out case at all.

What we need from the IFA is all of their efforts bent towards ensuring that the expansion we need to achieve in the next decade is facilitated as much as possible by government departments with sensible and workable regulation being the order of the day. Protesting about short term income crunches to a government that can do nothing about the problem while simultaneously annoying a significant proportion of the population outside our industry is the equivalent to taking down the 12 guage cleaning it meticulously, loading it with a couple of BB cartridges, taking careful aim, letting fly with both barrels and blowing your own foot off.

Very well said!

rancher

bbam wrote: »

I happen to be one of your 80,000

The alternative has to be successful lobbying, non relenting lobbying....... been there.... done that...... got the Tshirt.... waste of time,.... no one listening, If you were involved, you wouldn't be coming up with such rubbish suggestions, farmer don't have the voting power for TDs to show us respect

Enjoy your day in the big smoke, and as a result all of us will have to put up with the fallout and quips about having little else to do and of course the usual rubbish about big tractors.

I intend to. I'm not depending on farming and it won't make a lot of difference to me if the bottom falls out of farming, but Ihave a huge problem with this government and the rip off that this country has developed into, but then I'm not the only poster on this forum that isn't depending on farming and the implications of losing REPs AEOS + DAS along with having to pay septictank charge, property taxes etc isn't going to cause any concern

coolshannagh28

Love or loath the IFA and I an not a member its about time this rotten government got a rattle . Coveney is using agriculture as a stepping stone and is cutting to please his betters with no regard for farming or the more vulnerable farmers .
There is a huge number of totally disenfranchised people out there who could use this as a bandwagon to fire a shot across fine Gaels bows .
So fer the coalition has been able to keep the people off the streets but once it starts maybe we will get some real reform the country desperately needs and this must start with private sector protest farmer or otherwise .

freedominacup

Posts #22 and #23 don't appear to have any overtly political motivation to them at all:rolleyes:.

rancher

coolshannagh28 wrote: »

Love or loath the IFA and I an not a member its about time this rotten government got a rattle . Coveney is using agriculture as a stepping stone and is cutting to please his betters with no regard for farming or the more vulnerable farmers .
There is a huge number of totally disenfranchised people out there who could use this as a bandwagon to fire a shot across fine Gaels bows .
So fer the coalition has been able to keep the people off the streets but once it starts maybe we will get some real reform the country desperately needs and this must start with private sector protest farmer or otherwise .

Despite what you're reading here from other posters, I have a feeling this is going to be big, there is too many people out there hurting in this recession to let this opportunity pass, there is anger boiling up all over the country, even the creamery aren't collecting milk on the day, I'm looking forward to it

5live

rancher wrote: »

I intend to. I'm not depending on farming and it won't make a lot of difference to me if the bottom falls out of farming, but Ihave a huge problem with this government and the rip off that this country has developed into, but then I'm not the only poster on this forum that isn't depending on farming and the implications of losing REPs AEOS + DAS along with having to pay septictank charge, property taxes etc isn't going to cause any concern

+1 rancher. A large proportion of the naysayers on here will b***h about the tough time they are having with goverment cutbacks but will keep the protests on their keyboards rather than get up off their a**e and actually do something about it.

Until, of course, their little section of heaven is threatened when they will spit and froth at the mouth because the IFA are doing nothing.

Likewise, cutting off funding from slaughter and milk leviesthat are collected by the IFA/ICMSA/ICSA. I presume you will also refuse to accept the concessions and improved conditions that are negotiated for you by the organisations?

Haha, thought not....

I dont particularly agree with the protest but 34% cut in Dept of Ag funding in 4 years versus 4 or 5% in the other departments? Good luck with that strategy, lads, tis working really well for you:rolleyes:

bbam

5live wrote: »

b***h

Damn if I can figure this expletive out ??

Farmers and farming is in a precarious position due to the amount of money that is paid out to farmers each year, to the general public they see little reason for this to be paid out... This is a PR disaster for farming, where have the IFA made inroads into educating the general joe soap about these "handouts" and why they are essential to continue..

Running up and down outside the dail to ensure payments are continued will not wash well with joe public.. 15% of the working population are unemployed relying on SW to eek out their existence.. Farmers are seen to be self employed, have huge valuable assets, just had the biggest boom in their incomes (average 40% increase i think) sold land for monopoly money during the boom, Subsidies and payments out the ying-yang, you only ever see cases quoted where farms are getting 10's if not 100's of thousands in payments..
If the PR machine was working well, the public would understand the position but it's completely misunderstood, and now thousands of farmers will be seen to be out protesting about protecting their handouts...

I'm telling ye lads... this is bad PR and I doubt it will get much support outside farming circles, and within farming the support is patchy at best.
It is support from the general public that matters to a protest outside the Dail.. Yes the carers, special needs and pensioners had the sympathy and support of the public and so the government were forced to act... I doubt that farmers will have the same support so the government will see little need to pay it any attention at all..

awaywithyou

this day of action is a load of nonsense.... farmers should just get on with farming and not be acting the clown up in dublin... this day of action will achieve absolutely f**k all... F**K ALL...

the govt has no choice but to make cutbacks... and dead right that they do make cutbacks... cant being taking in 30billion and spending 50billion year in year out... how long would yere bank manager let ye at that before they'd want action....

rancher

bbam wrote: »

Damn if I can figure this expletive out ??
probably an itch in there somewhere
Farmers and farming is in a precarious position due to the amount of money that is paid out to farmers each year, to the general public they see little reason for this to be paid out... This is a PR disaster for farming, where have the IFA made inroads into educating the general joe soap about these "handouts" and why they are essential to continue..

Running up and down outside the dail to ensure payments are continued will not wash well with joe public.. 15% of the working population are unemployed relying on SW to eek out their existence.. Farmers are seen to be self employed, have huge valuable assets, just had the biggest boom in their incomes (average 40% increase i think) sold land for monopoly money during the boom, Subsidies and payments out the ying-yang, you only ever see cases quoted where farms are getting 10's if not 100's of thousands in payments..
If the PR machine was working well, the public would understand the position but it's completely misunderstood, and now thousands of farmers will be seen to be out protesting about protecting their handouts...

I'm telling ye lads... this is bad PR and I doubt it will get much support outside farming circles, and within farming the support is patchy at best.
It is support from the general public that matters to a protest outside the Dail.. Yes the carers, special needs and pensioners had the sympathy and support of the public and so the government were forced to act... I doubt that farmers will have the same support so the government will see little need to pay it any attention at all..

Are you saying that the carers, special needs and pensioners didn't need to go on the streets, doubt it
We bring 2bn euro into the country in subsidies, we produce the progeny of 800000 suckler cows and 1000000 dairy cows plus the milk of those cows along with millions of pigs and poultry also the progeny of 2,500,000 ewes and millions of tons of grain..... can you estimate how much income tax and indirect tax is going into government coffers out of that output? billions I'd say........now when you do figure that out, tell me why the REPS ( a cofunded scheme.....more income into the country) AEOS, DAS was cut in favour of maintaining the income of the public service, The next to go will be the college grants to farmers....why not ...they have got away with everythng else
You're very innocent if you are worried about ''jo public'' they're quite happy for the govt to be targeting farmers, They love it when we pay up

bbam

rancher wrote: »

Are you saying that the carers, special needs and pensioners didn't need to go on the streets, doubt it
We bring 2bn euro into the country in subsidies, we produce the progeny of 800000 suckler cows and 1000000 dairy cows plus the milk of those cows along with millions of pigs and poultry also the progeny of 2,500,000 ewes and millions of tons of grain..... can you estimate how much income tax and indirect tax is going into government coffers out of that output? billions I'd say........now when you do figure that out, tell me why the REPS ( a cofunded scheme.....more income into the country) AEOS, DAS was cut in favour of maintaining the income of the public service, The next to go will be the college grants to farmers....why not ...they have got away with everythng else

You can't go on comparing the carers and assistants protest to a farmers protest.. its apples and oranges..
The carers and assistants were able to drum up support from the public so the government had to take heed..

Farmers on the other hand have a terrible PR machine, the general public don't understand why we receive supports and subs and so I can't see the level of support that will make the government take heed..

I'm not saying that cuts from agriculture budgets and schemes are OK, I'm saying that the IFA approach is wrong and with the times that are in it it may well backfire and create resentment from the public rather than support..

rancher

bbam wrote: »

I'm not saying that cuts from agriculture budgets and schemes are OK, I'm saying that the IFA approach is wrong and with the times that are in it it may well backfire and create resentment from the public rather than support..

So what!!!!!!

bob charles

I applaud the reduction in costs to run the dept of ag for one, much more could be cut be cut from their funding as frankly theyre still way over staffed. take there rent bill for instance, its utter nuts what they are paying and some of the locations are crazy locations

bbam

rancher wrote: »

So what!!!!!!

So what :rolleyes:
So the government will be forced to act in cases where the majority of public opinion swings with the protest... Thats how politics works..

If a bunch of cranks with no support from anyone turn up to protest the government don't pay any heed and they look like idiots..

If you think its about fairness rather than minding blocks of the voting public then your journey to Dublin is a fallacy..

keep going

rancher wrote: »

Despite what you're reading here from other posters, I have a feeling this is going to be big, there is too many people out there hurting in this recession to let this opportunity pass, there is anger boiling up all over the country, even the creamery aren't collecting milk on the day, I'm looking forward to it

what creamerys are not collecting milk

freedominacup

keep going wrote: »

what creamerys are not collecting milk

He's just after checking forward on the calendar and he's convinced himself that they're collecting anyone else that day though it's just not his day for collection.

Manoffeeling

Farmers organise a protest.
Farmers decide to block up our capital with tractors and machinery.
Farmers pride gets in the way and brings the fresh John Deere instead of the 35.
Farmers protest then becomes an exbhition of perceived wealth.
A disgruntled paye guy who is mortgaged to the hole and in negative equity and hasn't got the price of a Big Mac rings that moron of a Joe Duffy and fuels an already anti farmer audience.
Farmer then rings in and spouts inaccurate figures and information, justifying his SFP and basically makes a tool of himself while top IFA men gorge on fillet steak in the Shelbourne.
Protesting farmers return home thinking they have done great work.

End this nonsense I say.

Black Smoke

rancher wrote: »

bbam wrote: »

I'm not saying that cuts from agriculture budgets and schemes are OK, I'm saying that the IFA approach is wrong and with the times that are in it it may well backfire and create resentment from the public rather than support..

So what!!!!!!

Are you the guy who lost the plot on the Pat Kenny Fronline program? -:)

Min

Too busy with the farming to have time for the IFA people who seemingly have not much to do.

IFA member and sometimes I wonder why.

whelan1

we where discussing this at milking time.... we really dont see the point in this day of action.... the country is on its knees, every sector is taking a hit...... better to keep our heads down and get on with it.... also think its really taking the piss to go to the streets of dublin a few days before the sfp is paid out ........ fair enough the agriculture budget is being cut but so is every other sector... we still have markets for our produce

1chippy

i am an ifa member and disagree with the action. its going to be a complete mess. i agree however something has to be done. there has got to be a better alternative than marching in Dublin. with 80-90k members a bit more co-ordination and organising some sort of other action should be possible. Without creating a negative backlash on the farming community. They just have to think slightly outside the box. more research needs to be put into theactions they take, which involves working out all the consequences of what they do.
Who decided on this march? where were the says of the 80-9k people taken in or was it just me who missed it.

rancher

1chippy wrote: »

i am an ifa member and disagree with the action. its going to be a complete mess. i agree however something has to be done. there has got to be a better alternative than marching in Dublin. with 80-90k members a bit more co-ordination and organising some sort of other action should be possible. Without creating a negative backlash on the farming community. They just have to think slightly outside the box. more research needs to be put into theactions they take, which involves working out all the consequences of what they do.
Who decided on this march? where were the says of the 80-9k people taken in or was it just me who missed it.

The representatives who you elected from the branches and county executives decided this.......sure don't you know we're democratic to the bone

whelan1

rancher wrote: »

The representatives who you elected from the branches and county executives decided this.......sure don't you know we're democratic to the bone

this will alienate alot of people from ifa, my dad is a lifelong member , county chairman for years etc. he is totally against it .... he has marched for everything over the years and says this action is totally wrong

bob charles

whelan1 wrote: »

this will alienate alot of people from ifa, my dad is a lifelong member , county chairman for years etc. he is totally against it .... he has marched for everything over the years and says this action is totally wrong

I agree and will strongly review my decision on being a IFA member, crying wolf comes to mind especially when Ag was said to be doing so well earlier in the summer, for a few weeks it was the buzz industry to know about. yes there are cut backs but in all fairness allot of these schemes only came about to use EU money.

rancher

whelan1 wrote: »

this will alienate alot of people from ifa, my dad is a lifelong member , county chairman for years etc. he is totally against it .... he has marched for everything over the years and says this action is totally wrong

Sure I'm just winding it up here on a boring sunday afternoon, don't know how it will go, can't run it down in the position I'm in but it is frustrating having our income decimated,everyone says we have to do something but no one has any ideas, was on livestock commitee and sheep commitee and used to dread the mention of protests, I love going myself, but hate trying to rally the troops

whelan1

as i said before everyone is feeling the pinch, just found out my son gave €20 to a girl in his class that wasnt able to afford the arts and crafts money for the year:rolleyes: markets are good, we cannot do anything about the weather i really think the 9 of october day should be cancelled....

rancher

whelan1 wrote: »

as i said before everyone is feeling the pinch, just found out my son gave €20 to a girl in his class that wasnt able to afford the arts and crafts money for the year:rolleyes: markets are good, we cannot do anything about the weather i really think the 9 of october day should be cancelled....

Rank and file members will have an opportunity to talk to the national officers at the ploughing, if there is no opposition voiced there then it'll go ahead

freedominacup

rancher wrote: »

Rank and file members will have an opportunity to talk to the national officers at the ploughing, if there is no opposition voiced there then it'll go ahead

Wonderful. Do you know something lads we're going to have to seriously examine how we select reps whether it be for co-op boards or representative bodies because we've picked some real lemons over the years. According to Rancher "the officers" (see below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxbzb8XXiGQ

will decide whether or not they've f**ked up after we tell them the answer at the ploughing. Cart before the horse anyone? Only difference between them and the ones featured in the vid is at least Blackadders boys had a secret plan our knuckleheads decided to announce it first then ask our opinion.

road_hog

whats the march - protest about ?

cant be farmers incomes as their at all time highs

is it the miserable summer ?

hunter15

rancher wrote: »

And the alternative is............
As I said before, myself and the 80000 other members will just have to struggle on without you, the fact that our membership is growing must really sicken the contributors here.
Using words like piss and plonker really sets the mentality of the contributors,[/QUOTE

What will these 8000 smart lads gain for us

just do it

Some points:
1. What is the protest about?
2. If it is the same reason as all the marches in recent history it will appear like the boy that cried wolf.
3. The tractorcade in farming circles is considered one of the most successful recent protests. I heard John Dillon explain why farmers felt it was necessary on the main evening news and I couldn't understand what in God's name he was on about.
4. Grant aid for farming started to ensure a country/ region could be self-sufficient in times of world war. Globalisation of the food chain has removed this reason.
5. Grant aid will decrease over time. Half the EU budget goes on farm aid. It's hard to see that continuing.
6. Being the only organisation in the country advocating a no vote in the lisbon treaty up to 10days before polling day caused the farming lobby alot of reputational damage both at home and in Europe.
7. The IFA could do more to ensure forward prices from factories, etc
8. Ultimately I'd prefer my income to come from the market rather than from subsidies. I don't see any thing from the IFA preparing it's 80,000 members, including me, for this eventuality.
9. Like the majority of his predecessors, is the current president hoping for a career in lobbying/ politics as opposed to really caring about "the family farm"?
10. That's enough for now;-)

just do it

http://www.ifa.ie/IFAInformation/tabid/586/ctl/Detail/mid/2202/xmid/5346/xmfid/23/Default.aspx