General secretary of the IFA on a possible €400,000 salary-Read mod note in post 2734

boggerman1

Teller wrote: »

How do you Cancel your Membership? Just go into the Bank & Cancel the Direct Debit?.. & Do the IFA Get Levies every time you sell an Animal @ the Mart Factory etc?...

Cancel it in the bank and give it a bit of time before some auld coger will drive into ur yard to resign u up.

davidk1394

rangler1 wrote: »

I told Pat one day he was more like Micheal o Leary than Micheal Berkery, he was always business minded and would drive on regardless as Director of Organisation, the electricity and phone deals were his idea and bring in a lot of money to the association.

But he was an arrogant ignorant bully of a man !

Farmer

I am happy today that not a cent of mine went to pay this salary. Instead my €50 'no frills' membership went to the INHFA who, with a handful of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers, punched above their weight for those of us in disadvantaged areas.

rangler1

Base price wrote: »

This is an opportunity for the IFA hierarchy to make real changes and get back in touch with the grass root farmers. Financial transparency would be a good first step.
If enough people stop paying the EIF levy then they will be forced to come up with an alternative financing option.
I remember talk of the EIF levy stopping in 2000. I found the article after a bit of searching today. Mr. Pat Smith is also mentioned in the same article

http://www.independent.ie/business/farming/main-meat-firms-deducting-passing-on-ifa-levy-26124254.html

This is an opportunity to close it down, to me farmers don't deserve any representation if they're like the keyboard cowards on here, to me farming is a hobby now and maybe a joke. I was pushed into jobs, but went in good faith....how wrong I was , It doesn't matter what anyone does for farmers, they'll be treated like dirt and the sooner the reps realise that, the sooner they'll get their life back. RIP Irish agriculture, may it Rot In Peace

Farmer Ed

Cavanjack wrote: »

Sure they jump on every bit of good news in farming and say they secured it. Any funding going they claimed it was got because of them. Remember hearing a few years ago from a friend about an esb line going through Meath and the farmers kicked up among themselves and ended up getting money. The Ifa jumped in before the end of negotiations and claimed it. The beef protests last year confirmed to me that the Ifa was a sham.
When the average beef farmers income is cira 10k how can any one of them continue paying membership?

Couldn't agree more. I remember a National chairman trying to explain the logic of not campaigning for something you were not likely to get.There a total sham!

Sheep breeder

tanko wrote: »

Sure the IFA have been taking money from farmers cheques without their permission at meat factories for years. This is theft pure and simple.
I hope Pat Smith has a good time with the millions of euros of farmers money he's managed to get his hands on over the years.

i dont agree with the above statement surly farmers can read what the deductions were on the cheque and open their mouth and say no deduction to be made.

tanko

Sheep breeder wrote: »

i dont agree with the above statement surly farmers can read what the deductions were on the cheque and open their mouth and say no deduction to be made.

The IFA takes/steals the farmers money out of his cheque without permission. Why should the farmer have to say they don't want money stolen off them?

merryberry

rangler1 wrote: »

This is an opportunity to close it down, to me farmers don't deserve any representation if they're like the keyboard cowards on here, to me farming is a hobby now and maybe a joke. I was pushed into jobs, but went in good faith....how wrong I was , It doesn't matter what anyone does for farmers, they'll be treated like dirt and the sooner the reps realise that, the sooner they'll get their life back. RIP Irish agriculture, may it Rot In Peace

Rangler have a snickers :-)

Sheep breeder

limo_100 wrote: »

I think the hole board should step down, Alot of memberships cancelled round this area, How can I stop the leavys being paid in the mart??

as regard the levies open your mouth and ask the mart to stop it coming out of you payment.

boggerman1

rangler1 wrote: »

This is an opportunity to close it down, to me farmers don't deserve any representation if they're like the keyboard cowards on here, to me farming is a hobby now and maybe a joke. I was pushed into jobs, but went in good faith....how wrong I was , It doesn't matter what anyone does for farmers, they'll be treated like dirt and the sooner the reps realise that, the sooner they'll get their life back. RIP Irish agriculture, may it Rot In Peace

Oh what an overreaction there rangler.if u think farming is a hobby then good luck to u.most of the rest of us take our farms seriously.

alps

Sheep breeder wrote: »

as regard the levies open your mouth and ask the mart to stop it coming out of you payment.

You mean do something for yourself?

rangler1

tanko wrote: »

The IFA takes/steals the farmers money out of his cheque without permission. Why should the farmer have to say they don't want money stolen off them?

Get a life will you, stop the f...ing levies then, no one gives a damn, I'd spend it on one night out

_Brian

rangler1 wrote: »

This is an opportunity to close it down, to me farmers don't deserve any representation if they're like the keyboard cowards on here, to me farming is a hobby now and maybe a joke. I was pushed into jobs, but went in good faith....how wrong I was , It doesn't matter what anyone does for farmers, they'll be treated like dirt and the sooner the reps realise that, the sooner they'll get their life back. RIP Irish agriculture, may it Rot In Peace

Great..
The top men are finally shown to have their noses well and truly in the trough ad the expense of all farmers... And you make it out to be the Farmers fault !!
FFS, get a grip
I appreciate you've said time and time again that the IFA has gotten plenty of money for you.. but these lads are laughing at everybody by drawing out these levels of salary... They must be particularly laughing at lads running round representing the IFA for no huge salary

locha

There is absolutely no substitute for transparency and benchmarking in ANY organisation. Without it the environment (for those at the top) will very much be about enriching oneself and seeing how far the boundaries can be pushed. Private fiefdoms will be to the fore and a political game contrary to the good of the organisation will prevail. This is the natural course in such scenarios. Hence why plc's now are so highly regulated and ethics and transparency are the key principles to all investors.

I'm not going to get into the merits or demerits of the IFA as everyone will have their own personal view point. What I would say is that I am very sorry for the decent hard working membership who gave up their time voluntarily and worked collectively very hard. Some are my neighbours.

They have been spectacularly betrayed by the top brass. It is actually an embarrassment for the farming community as to what has gone on. They membership was taken advantage of to a degree that will leave so many disillusioned as to ever contribute time never mind money again. And that is the real pity.

Every organisation needs representation and to have a voice. Regardless of the consensus of whether anything can actually be achieved, politically it is very important to have a voice at the table and a strong one. Farmers are in receipt of some very good tax incentives - these would not be there unless there was a strong voice at the table saying, we have a following and this is what we need.

Sadly, after this weeks events, the IFA is now in a situation that even Bertie Ahern will be wincing for them. Says it all.

rangler1

alps wrote: »

You mean do something for yourself?

:eek: never happen

RobertKK

rangler1 wrote: »

This is an opportunity to close it down, to me farmers don't deserve any representation if they're like the keyboard cowards on here, to me farming is a hobby now and maybe a joke. I was pushed into jobs, but went in good faith....how wrong I was , It doesn't matter what anyone does for farmers, they'll be treated like dirt and the sooner the reps realise that, the sooner they'll get their life back. RIP Irish agriculture, may it Rot In Peace

Keyboard cowards????
I mean do you really think ordinary farmers were going to be listened to when large sums of money are involved?
We could all see what the top people in the IFA were making with the CAP and other payments, none of them doing badly, any wonder they argued to keep the SFP as similar to the old system as possible rather than reform.
They wouldn't care about farmers on lower payments, they argued the farmers on the bigger payments need the payments and are the most efficient. Nothing to back it up, just words and let by John Bryan who gets a large SFP, and who conveniently wanted to be a TD in the same party as the agricultural minister - I am sure that is one way to lobby to get what you want.
I guess John has to stay farming as he failed to get selected, and I wouldn't have voted for him anyway.

Maybe if the very top people in the IFA stopped looking after their own interests first, there wouldn't be such a backlash.
This is something that is there since the CAP negotiations, ask yourself why the numbers of voters for the IFA presidential election halved?
Most farmers are not on big SFP, and we had the top people in the IFA arguing against them. A lot of people were asking 'who do they really represent?'
The upper limit on payment could have been brought way down to lets say €50k, and distribute more money to more farming families, but sure those on the big payments needed them according to the IFA.
The people killing the IFA have been the IFA themselves.

Farmer Ed

RobertKK wrote: »

Keyboard cowards????
I mean do you really think ordinary farmers were going to be listened to when large sums of money are involved?
We could all see what the top people in the IFA were making with the CAP and other payments, none of them doing badly, any wonder they argued to keep the SFP as similar to the old system as possible rather than reform.
They wouldn't care about farmers on lower payments, they argued the farmers on the bigger payments need the payments and are the most efficient. Nothing to back it up, just words and let by John Bryan who gets a large SFP, and who conveniently wanted to be a TD in the same party as the agricultural minister - I am sure that is one way to lobby to get what you want.
I guess John has to stay farming as he failed to get selected, and I wouldn't have voted for him anyway.

Maybe if the very top people in the IFA stopped looking after their own interests first, there wouldn't be such a backlash.
This is something that is there since the CAP negotiations, ask yourself why the numbers of voters for the IFA presidential election halved?
Most farmers are not on big SFP, and we had the top people in the IFA arguing against them. A lot of people were asking 'who do they really represent?'
The upper limit on payment could have been brought way down to lets say €50k, and distribute more money to more farming families, but sure those on the big payments needed them according to the IFA.
The people killing the IFA have been the IFA themselves.

Couldn't agree more if they really wanted to represent family farms they would put an upper limit on payments. Also it would give farmers a better public image.

rangler1

RobertKK wrote: »

Keyboard cowards????
I mean do you really think ordinary farmers were going to be listened to when large sums of money are involved?
We could all see what the top people in the IFA were making with the CAP and other payments, none of them doing badly, any wonder they argued to keep the SFP as similar to the old system as possible rather than reform.
They wouldn't care about farmers on lower payments, they argued the farmers on the bigger payments need the payments and are the most efficient. Nothing to back it up, just words and let by John Bryan who gets a large SFP, and who conveniently wanted to be a TD in the same party as the agricultural minister - I am sure that is one way to lobby to get what you want.
I guess John has to stay farming as he failed to get selected, and I wouldn't have voted for him anyway.

Maybe if the very top people in the IFA stopped looking after their own interests first, there wouldn't be such a backlash.
This is something that is there since the CAP negotiations, ask yourself why the numbers of voters for the IFA presidential election halved?
Most farmers are not on big SFP, and we had the top people in the IFA arguing against them. A lot of people were asking 'who do they really represent?'
The upper limit on payment could have been brought way down to lets say €50k, and distribute more money to more farming families, but sure those on the big payments needed them according to the IFA.
The people killing the IFA have been the IFA themselves.

Yea like we're going to traipse to Dublin and lobby against our own interests, get a life. that's why I keep telling people to be involved, get a nomination, canvass for votes, get elected, and then your sure you're represented......but there's a hitch it might take work, but no one can say I haven't told people to get off their ass

Sheep breeder

the sad part of this saga is that DD is coming out of this smelling of roses and he has being involved for years in all of this that he has brought to light now for i bet for his own good, next he will want eddies head and an election of a new leader and guess who will be first cap in the ring,

memorystick

Luckily he is a director of the following companies also. Surely they will give him a few quid to keep the show on the road?

Ifa Telecom Limited

C.P. Community Publishing Limited

Buywayz Limited

The Agricultural Trust - Owner of the farmers journal - is it ever critical of the IFA???

Feirmeoiri Aontuithe Na H-Eireann Iontaobaithe Teoranta

Farmer Business Developments Public Limited Company

F.B.D. Trust Company Limited

Irish Farm Centre Limited

and retired from

Callidus Telecom Europe Limited

timetoout the rest

chickens ,roost, home, to,

Username John

Farmer Ed wrote: »

Couldn't agree more if they really wanted to represent family farms they would put an upper limit on payments. Also it would give farmers a better public image.

Why?

Why not just take the total budget and divide it equally amoungst all farmers - that's a fairer system. Everyone gets the same...

Like, if we're saying it shouldn't matter how much farming is doing, let's just make it all equal...

rangler1

memorystick wrote: »

Luckily he is a director of the following companies also. Surely they will give him a few quid to keep the show on the road?

Ifa Telecom Limited

C.P. Community Publishing Limited

Buywayz Limited

The Agricultural Trust - Owner of the farmers journal - is it ever critical of the IFA???

Feirmeoiri Aontuithe Na H-Eireann Iontaobaithe Teoranta

Farmer Business Developments Public Limited Company

F.B.D. Trust Company Limited

Irish Farm Centre Limited

and retired from

Callidus Telecom Europe Limited

He won't starve, he wouldn't have left so easy if he had nothing, probably got a year in lieu of notice as well, he definitely heldall the cards when he was leaving

Willfarman

No smell of roses from Derek. If he had of got his snout in the fatteners trough he'd be the same as the rest of them

Capercaillie

Irish Farmers Association General Secretary paid more than President Obama!
Two out of three farms would be economically unviable if it
were not for off-farm income. Only 15 per cent of cattle-rearing farms deemed economically viable. Rural decline. Forestry profits before people. Eligibility Penalties on marginal lands. Capped GLAS payments. €430million modulated away from farmers with designated lands....
Whose interests are the IFA really serving?

Bass Reeves

rangler1 wrote: »

He won't starve, he wouldn't have left so easy if he had nothing, probably got a year in lieu of notice as well, he definitely heldall the cards when he was leaving

Would not bet on him getting a big pay off. I imagine that any payoff would have to be approved by the Exec Council. I doubt if any other structure would be available within the organisation to agree to a termination pay off in the situation that a rose. If it did happen and I was on that sub committee that agreed to such a scenario, I be cleaning my desk as well.

I think something smells here, there is definitely a good whiff. Did he hold all the cards. I would not be sure.

Cattlepen

rangler1 wrote: »

Get a life will you, stop the f...ing levies then, no one gives a damn, I'd spend it on one night out

That just stinks of arrogance. Congrats on being a big shot on your nights out sir

rangler1

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Would not bet on him getting a big pay off. I imagine that any payoff would have to be approved by the Exec Council. I doubt if any other structure would be available within the organisation to agree to a termination pay off in the situation that a rose. If it did happen and I was on that sub committee that agreed to such a scenario, I be cleaning my desk as well.

I think something smells here, there is definitely a good whiff. Did he hold all the cards. I would not be sure.

Surely there's a contract, you can't just drop someone, he had to go because they couldn't be seen to keep paying him and could they reduce his salary.....I don't know.
There's more that should go and if I was there I'd be kicking butt as well,
Smith only took what he was offered and so did nothing wrong

Willfarman

Cattle pen know when you are being played.. Or trolled as the techno speak people would say.. Rangler wouldn't spend Christmas,he is however a master debater.

Farmer Ed

Username John wrote: »

Why?

Why not just take the total budget and divide it equally amoungst all farmers - that's a fairer system. Everyone gets the same...

Like, if we're saying it shouldn't matter how much farming is doing, let's just make it all equal...

I wouldn't disagree with that either. Individual farm payments of hundreds of thousands and possibly over a million in the case of the prince of Wales, is a system that dose not serve Irish family farms well.

kowtow

rangler1 wrote:

This is an opportunity to close it down, to me farmers don't deserve any representation if they're like the keyboard cowards on here, to me farming is a hobby now and maybe a joke. I was pushed into jobs, but went in good faith....how wrong I was , It doesn't matter what anyone does for farmers, they'll be treated like dirt and the sooner the reps realise that, the sooner they'll get their life back. RIP Irish agriculture, may it Rot In Peace

I can't make up my mind whether you are looking for a rise or whether you seriously mean that farmers should be punished in some way for reacting - overwhelmingly - to a gross breach of trust which the perpetrators attempted to conceal right up to the last moment.

These 'keyboard warriors' are the people paying for the Ifa (and the other parasitic farming quangos) and without them the greed and abuse would presumably have continued undetected. You might take note that the IFA themselves did nothing until media - largely online media - forced their hand.

No matter how enamoured you may be of them I have some news for you.. there is nothing particularly impressive about being CEO of a Farmers club in a tiny little country like this one .. there are county councils in the North of England which are more significant internationally and larger in economic terms - and despite the appalling quality of regional govt in the UK these IFA guys would be lucky to get an interview.

Farmer Ed

memorystick wrote: »

Luckily he is a director of the following companies also. Surely they will give him a few quid to keep the show on the road?

Ifa Telecom Limited

C.P. Community Publishing Limited

Buywayz Limited

The Agricultural Trust - Owner of the farmers journal - is it ever critical of the IFA???

Feirmeoiri Aontuithe Na H-Eireann Iontaobaithe Teoranta

Farmer Business Developments Public Limited Company

F.B.D. Trust Company Limited

Irish Farm Centre Limited

and retired from

Callidus Telecom Europe Limited

That's a very good point. How many quangos do all these people usually manage to get themselves on. Many of these quangos are funded directly of indirectly by farmers. We need to wake up to this!

Bass Reeves

To put this in context was listening to George Lee. He had figures for as he put it the 5 executives renumeration on the ICMSA. There pay bill was 575K this includes employer PRSI. I presume that any car benifit would be included in this as well.

rangler1

kowtow wrote: »

I can't make up my mind whether you are looking for a rise or whether you seriously mean that farmers should be punished in some way for reacting - overwhelmingly - to a gross breach of trust which the perpetrators attempted to conceal right up to the last moment.

These 'keyboard warriors' are the people paying for the Ifa (and the other parasitic farming quangos) and without them the greed and abuse would presumably have continued undetected. You might take note that the IFA themselves did nothing until media - largely online media - forced their hand.

No matter how enamoured you may be of them I have some news for you.. there is nothing particularly impressive about being CEO of a Farmers club in a tiny little country like this one .. there are county councils in the North of England which are more significant internationally and larger in economic terms - and despite the appalling quality of regional govt in the UK these IFA guys would be lucky to get an interview.

I could've said that two years ago for the same reason, the abuse IFA gets here was huge reason that I quit, I mean why should I bother, I've no boss now so I can say what I think

tanko

rangler1 wrote: »

Get a life will you, stop the f...ing levies then, no one gives a damn, I'd spend it on one night out

Are you drunk?
I did stop the levies, got the f...ing money back out of the IFA trough.
Keep going Rangler, have you any idea how you're making the IFA look here.

Siamsa Sessions

Maybe someone covered this already, but what sticks in my craw is the way these fellas are presented as some sort of magician-geniuses!!!

You hear the same quotes whenever overpaid people are exposed in public: "You have to pay top rates to get top people", "So-and-so is an outstanding executive", etc. etc.

If that really was the case, then how do you reconcile that with them making such a basic mistake like taking a huge salary in the first place? If Pat Smith took "just" €200k, no one would question it. But what kind of judgement is he showing if he--and those who approved it--thought taking half-a-mil wouldn't come back to bite him in the a*se when it eventually broke in the media?

On one hand, he's apparently worth it. But on the other he makes a fundamental PR mistake.

limo_100

tanko wrote: »

Are you drunk?
I did stop the levies, got the f...ing money back out of the IFA trough.
Keep going Rangler, have you any idea how you're making the IFA look here.

Hes backed into a corner today and he's coming out swinging in fairness sure I suppose you quit rangler as you got sick of making pat smiths tea all day i hoped he tipped you at xmas

Farmer Ed

rangler1 wrote: »

I could've said that two years ago for the same reason, the abuse IFA gets here was huge reason that I quit, I mean why should I bother, I've no boss now so I can say what I think

Did you see the news? They couldn't find one farmer in Roscommon mart to say a good word about IFA. I think IFA have got off very light up to now. If your out of it, my advice is be glad you are and don't be giving yourself anymore grief.

rangler1

Farmer Ed wrote: »

I wouldn't disagree with that either. Individual farm payments of hundreds of thousands and possibly over a million in the case of the prince of Wales, is a system that dose not serve Irish family farms well.

No matter what the limit is set at, farmers will divide the farm to suit, if a farmer is getting 200000 and the limit is 50000, they'll draw it all even if they have to put childrens names that are miles away.
See earlier in the year a young farmer looking for entitlements on here and he declared he'd be home one day/month...maybe.
Don't know how many ''retired'' farmers I've seen back farming.
You couldn't make it up

pedigree 6

The IFA paid Pat Smith a million
Because he was smarter than any civilian
Derek Deane objected
The board relented
And the grass roots say thanks a billion

welton john

Willfarman wrote: »

Cattle pen know when you are being played.. Or trolled as the techno speak people would say.. Rangler wouldn't spend Christmas,he is however a master debater.

fyp

rangler1

Farmer Ed wrote: »

Did you see the news? They couldn't find one farmer in Roscommon mart to say a good word about IFA. I think IFA have got off very light up to now. If your out of it, my advice is be glad you are and don't be giving yourself anymore grief.

Then why do they pay membership, do they orgasm when they abuse people who try to help, is that how they get their kicks in life. did they never hear of voting with their feet. It's a sad way of going on.tbh
At least if the membership nos reduced people could get back to farming when the money runs out

Farmer Ed

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Maybe someone covered this already, but what sticks in my craw is the way these fellas are presented as some sort of magician-geniuses!!!

You hear the same quotes whenever overpaid people are exposed in public: "You have to pay top rates to get top people", "So-and-so is an outstanding executive", etc. etc.

If that really was the case, then how do you reconcile that with them making such a basic mistake like taking a huge salary in the first place? If Pat Smith took "just" €200k, no one would question it. But what kind of judgement is he showing if he--and those who approved it--thought taking half-a-mil wouldn't come back to bite him in the a*se when it eventually broke in the media?

On one hand, he's apparently worth it. But on the other he makes a fundamental PR mistake.

I have tried to touch on it. In fact studies are now proving that over a certain pay level people infact get worse at their job. Please open this link to Forbes.Yes Forbes! It didnt come from some communist publication. Thing is no one in this country wants to know about this research.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2014/06/16/the-highest-paid-ceos-are-the-worst-performers-new-study-says/

Farmer Ed

rangler1 wrote: »

Then why do they pay membership, do they orgasm when they abuse people who try to help, is that how they get their kicks in life. did they never hear of voting with their feet. It's a sad way of going on.tbh
At least if the membership nos reduced people could get back to farming when the money runs out

Im sorry Ranger but you dont come across as if your trying to help anyone other than defend the indefensible.

Bass Reeves

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Maybe someone covered this already, but what sticks in my craw is the way these fellas are presented as some sort of magician-geniuses!!!

You hear the same quotes whenever overpaid people are exposed in public: "You have to pay top rates to get top people", "So-and-so is an outstanding executive", etc. etc.

If that really was the case, then how do you reconcile that with them making such a basic mistake like taking a huge salary in the first place? If Pat Smith took "just" €200k, no one would question it. But what kind of judgement is he showing if he--and those who approved it--thought taking half-a-mil wouldn't come back to bite him in the a*se when it eventually broke in the media?

On one hand, he's apparently worth it. But on the other he makes a fundamental PR mistake.

It a bit like ''L'Oreal there motto is because I am worth it''. The thing about having your nose in a trough is if you can get away with it long enough ''it is worth it''. Was surprised to learn that Rangler was right it seems he may well have got a substantial pay off.

Con Lucey was right to resign, what is really surprising is that it took so long for members of the executive council to start to ask the hard questions. However I am not surprised. More and more I have come to believe that most Unions and organisations that have large memberships are ruled from the top down. Members elected to a management structure within any such organisation have little power. The full time staff in such an organisation seem more and more to rule the roost.

Co-ops are similar,look at the situation I think it was with Glanbia last year where a member elected by a grass roots section was not allowed to serve on the board. It takes a certain type of toughness to take these sort of structures on. Those that do are often targeted and attacked by the structures that they take on it it is often has a personnel effect on the.

I see DD said he was vindicated tonight. The real hero is Con Lucey who first stood up. I like to know Ranglers view on Con's resignation form the audit committee. It should have been a wake call to action by the executive council. Instead there was an attempt to brush his action aside.

Base price

Zipppy wrote: »

Sorry for not reading all 24 pages...who funds the IFA?

50% from membership subscriptions
35% from EIF levy - 15c per every €100 of on farm sales - meat, milk, grain
15% from FBD Trust, IFAC and others
http://www.ifa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IFA-40-years-of-delivering-in-Europe.pdf

BG2.0

Farmer Ed wrote: »

Im sorry Ranger but you dont come across as if your trying to help anyone other than defend the indefensible.

It's a bit like GAA managers, of course he never got paid. Just free junkets and the likes, why would he bite the hand that feeds him?

rangler1

Bass Reeves wrote: »

It a bit like ''L'Oreal there motto is because I am worth it''. The thing about having your nose in a trough is if you can get away with it long enough ''it is worth it''. Was surprised to learn that Rangler was right it seems he may well have got a substantial pay off.

Con Lucey was right to resign, what is really surprising is that it took so long for members of the executive council to start to ask the hard questions. However I am not surprised. More and more I have come to believe that most Unions and organisations that have large memberships are ruled from the top down. Members elected to a management structure within any such organisation have little power. The full time staff in such an organisation seem more and more to rule the roost.

Co-ops are similar,look at the situation I think it was with Glanbia last year where a member elected by a grass roots section was not allowed to serve on the board. It takes a certain type of toughness to take these sort of structures on. Those that do are often targeted and attacked by the structures that they take on it it is often has a personnel effect on the.

I see DD said he was vindicated tonight. The real hero is Con Lucey who first stood up. I like to know Ranglers view on Con's resignation form the audit committee. It should have been a wake call to action by the executive council. Instead there was an attempt to brush his action aside.

We were told con and smith didn't get on and we weren't allowed read his resignation, those that knew fielded it well and I was ready for out so I didn't give a ****e. Cons reluctance to out it has disappointed me about him. I thought he had more guts

cute geoge

Base price wrote: »

50% from membership subscriptions
35% from EIF levy - 15c per every €100 of on farm sales - meat, milk, grain
15% from FBD Trust, IFAC and others
http://www.ifa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IFA-40-years-of-delivering-in-Europe.pdf

What does one have to do to cancel the levy been taken out of the cremary cheque every month

rangler1

Farmer Ed wrote: »

Im sorry Ranger but you dont come across as if your trying to help anyone other than defend the indefensible.

Rubbish answer, you tell me now, why does 100000 pay membership and then think for €80 that they can belittle neighbours. sad way of going on.
And doing it on here is sadder