The I.F.A..Your opinions please.

minktrapper

What are ye're opinions on the I.F.A. and the farming organisations in this country.

Base price

This is going to be entertaining.

frazzledhome

A bit like a radio in the tractor, you forget it's there most if the time, mildly interesting occasionally but you wouldn't buy a tractor with out one

Kovu

Base price wrote: »

This is going to be entertaining.

I came here to say that!:D

minktrapper

Hopefully.As our main farming ''union' I would like to hear what people have on their mind.

frazzledhome

.Kovu. wrote: »

I came here to say that!:D

I think a Mod will be required before page 4

minktrapper

frazzledhome wrote: »

I think a Mod will be required before page 4

Why should there be.Let people speak their minds.Is that not what a forum is about

whelan2

minktrapper wrote: »

Why should there be.Let people speak their minds.Is that not what a forum is about

unfortunately i have learnt we can not talk about the ifa on this forum:mad: so i for one will not give my opinion on them

Base price

whelan2 wrote: »

unfortunately i have learnt we can not talk about the ifa on this forum:mad: so i for one will not give my opinion on them

Agree with Whelan, no criticism or negative opinion.

minktrapper

I said

minktrapper wrote: »

What are ye're opinions on the I.F.A. and the farming organisations in this country.

Not this old chestnut again how many people do you want to get banned in a day

Tokyo

Debate and discussion is more than welcome guys - positive and negative. It's the slander and the personal ****-slinging that we might have an issue with. By all means discuss - if it goes too far we'll try to nudge it back on track. Fair enough?

Mike

blue5000

Can we open a book on who gets the first yellow card??:p

I'd say rangler?

micosoft

minktrapper wrote: »

What are ye're opinions on the I.F.A. and the farming organisations in this country.

What's your opinion OP? Perhaps if you actually started with something we could be bothered to reply.

mikom

minktrapper wrote: »

The I.F.A..Your opinions please.

They'd be alright if they got rid of that John Delaney fella.

agriman27

IMO people are always quick to criticise the ifa and other organisations but without them to represent us farmers we would be voiceless in this country and the out of touch with reality civil servants would strangle the industry with bureaucracy and the place the blame on eu guidelines.

just do it

agriman27 wrote: »

IMO people......

What has the Irish Medical Organisation to do with it?!

whelan2

just do it wrote: »

What has the Irish Medical Organisation to do with it?!

they might be needed if the debate got heated

Poor Farmer in the hills

More farmers need to become involved in the IFA to ensure their views are expressed. No point in complaining about IFA policy if you are not willing to say what policy should be. Saying that. much of IFA policy seems to be decided at the top with no consultstion with ordinary members.

rangler1

agriman27 wrote: »

IMO people are always quick to criticise the ifa and other organisations but without them to represent us farmers we would be voiceless in this country and the out of touch with reality civil servants would strangle the industry with bureaucracy and the place the blame on eu guidelines.

It's pretty much depending on the members, the infrastructure is there, the buildings, regional offices, good professional staff and well informed outside experts......like any organisation, members can sit back and leave it to someone else or get involved.
The best we can hope for in the present economy is to hold what we have, membership is increasing all the time so farmers must be aware of that

rangler1

Poor Farmer in the hills wrote: »

More farmers need to become involved in the IFA to ensure their views are expressed. No point in complaining about IFA policy if you are not willing to say what policy should be. Saying that. much of IFA policy seems to be decided at the top with no consultstion with ordinary members.

Very few farmers go to meetings, but there is 3-400 farmers on national commitees who come from a huge cross section of farmers so we'd have a fair indication of the feeling of farmers

mf240

There a bit like the orange order, always making noise but nobody really pays much attention. And any excuse for a march.

rangler1

mf240 wrote: »

There a bit like the orange order, always making noise but nobody really pays much attention. And any excuse for a march.

and the crack is good...... doing a bit of a raid this week as well

Greengrass1

rangler1 wrote: »

and the crack is good...... doing a bit of a raid this week as well

The bring Garth brooks to Ireland brigade?

rangler1

Greengrass1 wrote: »

The bring Garth brooks to Ireland brigade?

ah, another dairy farmer, roll on the end of quota protection

larrymiller

rangler1 wrote: »

ah, another dairy farmer, roll on the end of quota protection

And so it begins!!

sheebadog

rangler1 wrote: »

ah, another dairy farmer, roll on the end of quota protection

Now now, down with that sort of thing!

whelan2

Poor Farmer in the hills wrote: »

More farmers need to become involved in the IFA to ensure their views are expressed. No point in complaining about IFA policy if you are not willing to say what policy should be. Saying that. much of IFA policy seems to be decided at the top with no consultstion with ordinary members.

always held ifa in high regard, during a conversation with a local county officer a few years ago he asked me was i interested in a position in ifa. I said i was , he said the farm family commitee where always looking for people:eek: so that put me in my place a womans place is in the home... pity they havent moved with the times, as i felt at the time i had something to offer them, edited to say i have nothing against the farm family commitee

sheebadog

For me democracy is a bit overrated. Too many people with too many personal agendas.
One strong leader who takes no shyte, has no personal agenda, unites everyone, and is willing to take on big business no holds barred.
But farmers MUST be united.


Sadly ( in no small part to gov policy and quotas) the dairy industry has taken over in Ireland as the default agri industry for all.

Tin hat time.

rangler1

larrymiller wrote: »

And so it begins!!

No it began on post 22

greysides

rangler1 wrote: »

No it began on post 22

[mod] End 'it'! Argue the point, not the person. [/mod]

td5man

3 Hours that's a record. :-)

minktrapper

I am looking for more in depth opinions on the farm organisations.For example a friend of mine got a text stating that ''I.F.A. secures 1.6 billion euros from the C.A.P. budget'' or some like that.I thought the CAP budget was there to keep down the price of food to the consumer.But yet we have a farming organisation stating that they got this money.Please correct me if I am wrong.

jt65

minktrapper wrote: »

I am looking for more in depth opinions on the farm organisations.For example a friend of mine got a text stating that ''I.F.A. secures 1.6 billion euros from the C.A.P. budget'' or some like that.I thought the CAP budget was there to keep down the price of food to the consumer.But yet we have a farming organisation stating that they got this money.Please correct me if I am wrong.

the answer is much the same as the last time you raised this topic


... about 3 years ago

minktrapper

How do they manage to get away with such drivel.Are Irish farmers so naïve as to believe this.

I said

Good in a lot of ways as for beef crisis,Coveney hasn't got the factories to listen so f##k all can be done there.Like a lot of organisations in Ireland in the last few years apathy towards the top table has left them in the damned if ya do and damned if ya don't situation,more people are upset over a concert in Dublin at the moment than they should be about the state of the country says it all about priorities.

Sam Kade

I gave up the ifa for 10 years joined up again last year the wife is joined up as well she got a job as a committee member at the elections last year :eek:

Deano7

What have they actually done to support the farmer? Well within the last few years, they endorsed the wind turbine contracts which have led to a lot of farmers trying to opt out of them prior to their commencement (I wonder why?!!!)

They organize regular protests against the companies that pay them cheques!!

They have allowed various supply companies to establish unfair and unreasonable contracts to farmers for the supply of their products. I refer to penalties due to poor quality, etc.

Needless to say I'm not a member and I don't pay any IFA levies for goods sold.

TossL1916

the i.f.a is one organisation that has to cater for farmers at both ends of the spectrum. the wants and needs of the large dairy farmer in the south east is a hell of a lot different to the wants and needs of the part time suckler farmer in the west of ireland. the i.f.a has an almost impossible task to try and keep everyone happy. enterprise-based farming organisations working alongside the i.f.a may be a solution i.m.o. think of the large range of issues that eddie downey has to deal with. i certainly dont envy him

rangler1

TossL1916 wrote: »

the i.f.a is one organisation that has to cater for farmers at both ends of the spectrum. the wants and needs of the large dairy farmer in the south east is a hell of a lot different to the wants and needs of the part time suckler farmer in the west of ireland. the i.f.a has an almost impossible task to try and keep everyone happy. enterprise-based farming organisations working alongside the i.f.a may be a solution i.m.o. think of the large range of issues that eddie downey has to deal with. i certainly dont envy him

Our commodity commitees work independent of each other, we wouldn't be in the business of undermining other sectors incomes, but each committee drives its own agenda/policies.
Plenty of enterprise based organisations out there too ....

rangler1

Deano7 wrote: »

What have they actually done to support the farmer? Well within the last few years, they endorsed the wind turbine contracts which have led to a lot of farmers trying to opt out of them prior to their commencement (I wonder why?!!!)

They organize regular protests against the companies that pay them cheques!!

They have allowed various supply companies to establish unfair and unreasonable contracts to farmers for the supply of their products. I refer to penalties due to poor quality, etc.

Needless to say I'm not a member and I don't pay any IFA levies for goods sold.

We didn't endorse any thing, 700+ landowners looked to us to improve the wind companies offer...we did that, end of!!!
Nothing to do with us that farmers didn't look for legal advice...It wasn't a CPO, they didn't have to sign.
I can equally rubbish the rest of your post, but can't be bothered.
BTW I'm in a Lamb producer Group and personally I agree with penalties for poor quality

munkus

I'll join the IFA the day they stop having Larry and co collect their money for them. Like in the past, if they upset Larry, he turns off the tap.

This arrangement makes no sense.

Deano7

rangler1 wrote: »

We didn't endorse any thing, 700+ landowners looked to us to improve the wind companies offer...we did that, end of!!!
Nothing to do with us that farmers didn't look for legal advice...It wasn't a CPO, they didn't have to sign.
I can equally rubbish the rest of your post, but can't be bothered.
BTW I'm in a Lamb producer Group and personally I agree with penalties for poor quality

Please explain the following taken from greenwires web page.

"Element Power has this month reached agreement with the Irish Farmer’s Association regarding a package of measures offered to landowners in the counties of Kildare, Laois, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath.
This is an important reassurance
for many landowners and Element Power is grateful to the IFA for its
input, professionalism and support of Greenwire."

Are these the same contacts many farmers now are trying to escape out of due to the fact that they're going to lose their SFP and all Agri reliefs applicable to their land due to re zoning.

Mad4simmental

I'll get shot for this but any way.

The IFA have done allot of work for farmers over the years. You allways hear the bad story's or the ones you don't nesseserley agree with, never the good ones. Many people work behind the sceens for no pay much like this websight. Little point giving out about the IFA if you don't join and try change what you can in your locality.

Us irish are probably one of the worst bunch on the planet for complaining about issues and not acting on them.

The IFA can do sweet Fcuk all about the beef crises as us dopes tend to out bid exporters all the time & shoot ourselves in the foot by over supplying the market.

The IFA are there to help, not hold your
Hand.

Deano7

Mad4simmental wrote: »

I'll get shot for this but any way.

The IFA have done allot of work for farmers over the years. You allways hear the bad story's or the ones you don't nesseserley agree with, never the good ones. Many people work behind the sceens for no pay much like this websight. Little point giving out about the IFA if you don't join and try change what you can in your locality.

Us irish are probably one of the worst bunch on the planet for complaining about issues and not acting on them.

The IFA can do sweet Fcuk all about the beef crises as us dopes tend to out bid exporters all the time & shoot ourselves in the foot by over supplying the market.

The IFA are there to help, not hold your
Hand.

Please name three things the IFA did in past year for the farming sector?

Are they not suppose to lobby the different organizations on behalf of the farmer? Therefore please explain why they are accepting this tyrant attitude of beef Barron's so well.

To be involved with an organisation is supporting them, how exactly can you support an organisation that consumes your time, gives poor advise, doesn't look after your interests, dosent lobby on your behalf and takes your money?

It's not the genuine people that volunteer that are corrupt it's the ones at the top.

TossL1916

rangler1 wrote: »

Our commodity commitees work independent of each other, we wouldn't be in the business of undermining other sectors incomes, but each committee drives its own agenda/policies.
Plenty of enterprise based organisations out there too ....

Point taken but i,d still argue that the i.f.a has too much on its plate, the enterprise based organisations that you speak of should become more prominent

agriman27

Deano7 wrote: »

Please name three things the IFA did in past year for the farming sector?

Are they not suppose to lobby the different organizations on behalf of the farmer? Therefore please explain why they are accepting this tyrant attitude of beef Barron's so well.

To be involved with an organisation is supporting them, how exactly can you support an organisation that consumes your time, gives poor advise, doesn't look after your interests, dosent lobby on your behalf and takes your money?

It's not the genuine people that volunteer that are corrupt it's the ones at the top.

My belief of the beef Barron problem is that its just an example of how this country is corrupt who gave the beef Barron the funding to continue in business when he went bankrupt years ago and then provide funding to upgrade his business and modernise it ,taxpayers money. So ultimately the problem is the government of this country which can do what it likes, sure look at the farcical beef tribunal which resulted in feck all only another hole for taxpayers money. If things were right the tyrant should have been eradicated long ago but he is well in with the government . Very difficult to rebel against that scale of corruption they don't care. What would you propose doing to improve things? Sure the department controls cattle shipping as well

Farmer Pudsey

TossL1916 wrote: »

the i.f.a is one organisation that has to cater for farmers at both ends of the spectrum. the wants and needs of the large dairy farmer in the south east is a hell of a lot different to the wants and needs of the part time suckler farmer in the west of ireland. the i.f.a has an almost impossible task to try and keep everyone happy. enterprise-based farming organisations working alongside the i.f.a may be a solution i.m.o. think of the large range of issues that eddie downey has to deal with. i certainly dont envy him

IMO the biggest issue with the IFA is that it is no longer representive of active farmers. Look at the amount of work it put into the leasing question with regards to SFP. It is more worrief about historical payments that were set 12-15 years ago than about what is happening now. It is a tired organistion. It is failing active farmers and is too dependent on levy's which are collected by those it is nor supposed to represent.

It has a fear of upsetting any of it members and it stragity is to let those that have the SFP hold onto it.

rangler1 wrote: »

We didn't endorse any thing, 700+ landowners looked to us to improve the wind companies offer...we did that, end of!!!
Nothing to do with us that farmers didn't look for legal advice...It wasn't a CPO, they didn't have to sign.
I can equally rubbish the rest of your post, but can't be bothered.
BTW I'm in a Lamb producer Group and personally I agree with penalties for poor quality

That is all very well in lambs but the same is happening in beef and is used by factories to cut payments to beef producers with constantly changing specs.

rangler1

Deano7 wrote: »

Please name three things the IFA did in past year for the farming sector?

Are they not suppose to lobby the different organizations on behalf of the farmer? Therefore please explain why they are accepting this tyrant attitude of beef Barron's so well.

To be involved with an organisation is supporting them, how exactly can you support an organisation that consumes your time, gives poor advise, doesn't look after your interests, dosent lobby on your behalf and takes your money?

It's not the genuine people that volunteer that are corrupt it's the ones at the top.

pick three yourself

IFA RDP campaign secures €580m per year in EU/National funding for new RDP incl GLAS worth €5,000 per year for 50,000 farmers, €195m for ANCs and TAMs for all sectors
€1.214b secured for new SFP, Irish convergence model applied to minimise cuts to productive farmers. Flat payments and regionalisation avoided.
€80 per cow Suckler Genomics scheme secured, worth €52m pa.
Sheep Grassland payment retained and increased to €15m – more progress required.
€3m coupled payment secured for protein crops
Secured €600,000 for BVD supports
Strong campaign on live exports delivers a 21% or 26,000 head increase, particularly calves.
Negotiated ferry access for live trade to UK with Stena and commitment on EU ferry access.
Min Noonan confirms no plans to change 90% agricultural relief in farm tax review
CGT exemption for forced disposal of SFP entitlements worth €25m
Nitrates review – Renewal of Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation (250kg/N/Ha) .16% increase in overall national phosphorous allowance
Transport Minister agreed to amend regulations on load heights for fodder
Beef Forum chaired by Min Coveney established to tackle problems in beef sector and profitability at farm level
Producer prices: Strong IFA campaigns on cattle and sheep prices.
EU Commission agreed to drop plans to introduce a Soils Directive

Frankie Lee

Could the UFA ever provide a viable alternative for small farmers? I'd imagine it doesn't have any serious numbers involved and little power at the moment.

Deano7

rangler1 wrote: »

pick three yourself

IFA RDP campaign secures €580m per year in EU/National funding for new RDP incl GLAS worth €5,000 per year for 50,000 farmers, €195m for ANCs and TAMs for all sectors
€1.214b secured for new SFP, Irish convergence model applied to minimise cuts to productive farmers. Flat payments and regionalisation avoided.
€80 per cow Suckler Genomics scheme secured, worth €52m pa.
Sheep Grassland payment retained and increased to €15m – more progress required.
€3m coupled payment secured for protein crops
Secured €600,000 for BVD supports
Strong campaign on live exports delivers a 21% or 26,000 head increase, particularly calves.
Negotiated ferry access for live trade to UK with Stena and commitment on EU ferry access.
Min Noonan confirms no plans to change 90% agricultural relief in farm tax review
CGT exemption for forced disposal of SFP entitlements worth €25m
Nitrates review – Renewal of Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation (250kg/N/Ha) .16% increase in overall national phosphorous allowance
Transport Minister agreed to amend regulations on load heights for fodder
Beef Forum chaired by Min Coveney established to tackle problems in beef sector and profitability at farm level
Producer prices: Strong IFA campaigns on cattle and sheep prices.
EU Commission agreed to drop plans to introduce a Soils Directive

Are you sure they can claim they negotiated all this? Was it not Mr. Coveny and colleagues?