‘The biggest problem is there will be no living’
ICSA boss on problems facing farmers
Síofra Grant
The year so far has been a tough one for the farmers of Ireland and the hardships continue. Seán McNamara, president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) and a Westmeath farmer, has spent the last week travelling around the country for demonstrations calling out government inaction regarding Mercosur, and the Bord Bia CEO Larry Murrin.
“The big issue for a while now has been Mercosur,” said Sean, “and Bord Bia now, with Larry Murrin, that’s a big issue at the moment. There’s a lot of things hitting farmers – and they don’t realise that there are a serious amount of things coming down the line now.”
The current focus of the farmers in Ireland is the revelation that Larry Murrin, CEO of Bord Bia confirmed that Brazilian Beef makes up 1% of the beef supply for his company Dawn Farm Foods.
“Larry Murrin is importing Brazilian Beef into his company – he shouldn’t be chair,” said Sean. “No one bringing in Brazilian beef should be chair of an organisation that is selling fine beef from Irish farmers that goes through a series of checks.
“But the Brazilians can send in beef that has hormones, antibiotics and the whole lot in it.”
For Seán and the ICSA, the main fear is the effect on farmers’ livelihoods.
“The thing is, it’s going to affect farmers for a single reason; there will be no viable living left in farming if this beef is allowed to come in.
“We’re talking about a generation of youth, there will be no young farmers left in Ireland.
“There will be no viable living now,” stressed Seán. “It doesn’t matter what job you’re in – you have to have a living.
“And the biggest problem is there will be no living.”
The risks are high for the industry, and because of that and his ICSA role,e Seán has been busy with protests. “We were over in Strasbourg during the Mercosur Trade Agreement, myself and my wife went over.
“We lobbied all the MEPs in Strasbourg on behalf of the ICSA and we got some of them to turn. At the 11th hour, near 12 o’clock, we had got a few of them turned to vote the opposite way.”
Seán’s work isn’t done as he and farmers across the country have been busy with protests, demonstrations and meetings with key figures concerning the Mercosur agreement.
“I was away Tuesday, I had a meeting with Cristophe Hansen, then we had a protest in Ballsbridge in the morning and then there was the Sinn Féin motion in the Dáil on Larry Murrin, and then I had another protest.”
Last Wednesday, Sinn Féin put forward a motion to the Dáil calling for the removal of Larry Murrin as Bord Bia CEO.
Sean believes the government are not interested in the problems of farmers and highlighted the contributions farmers made to Ireland during the recession. “We did that and now, when we need help, the government have turned their backs on us. They don’t care any more, we’re not bringing in enough money and that’s all they care about.”
On top of all the stresses of Mercosur, farmers face a busy spring, and calving and lambing season.
Seán offered some advice for any farmers gearing up to welcome some new additions to the farm. “I would say to the farmers, that calving and lambing is a serious time of year and it’s hard on you health-wise.” He advised anyone delivering animals to not go out on their own.