Cahill ready to change the lay of the land
In his first major newspaper interview since being elected to lead the 35,000-member ICMSA, he said the canvassing of the 87 ICMSA national council members in the 26 counties was an enlightening experience.
“It was important to meet people in their own places and chat with them about their problems and worries,” said the 44-year-old dairy and beef farmer from Killinan, Thurles.
Mr Cahill, who farms 130 acres and rents another 100, said farmers are wondering whether they can make a living out of beef or milk and are worried they won’t be able to make ends meet.
“The other issues are the new regulations, nitrates and cross compliance, and the uncertainty about whether they are going to be let farm the way they were taught to farm.
“We can farm as good, if not better, than anyone else in the world. Grass is our advantage. As long as we are allowed to grow the grass the way we are able to, we will be able to withstand whatever cold winds come our way better than other farmers in Europe,” he said.
On milk prices, Mr Cahill said the power of farmers and their organisations, which might be underestimated at times, is crucial.
Farmers must keep making the point to processors, co-ops and plcs that they have to get a fair slice of the cake.
Mr Cahill said he would advocate cooperation rather than major rationalisation in the multi-billion dairy industry.
Costs must be reduced, but he had not seen any great benefits to farmer members of major co-ops, such as Glanbia and Dairygold, over the small to medium-sized co-ops.
He said Newmarket and the West Cork co-ops, and his own Centenary Thurles Co-op, are paying a competitive price for milk. Farmers would be nervous there would not be competition on price if there were not enough co-ops around.
Mr Cahill said young people need two things to make farming their career.
“They are not going to choose a career that has not got a reasonable return and is filled with paperwork.
“That is a challenge and if we don’t address those issues young people are not going to enter farming,” he said.
Mr Cahill said farmers need their organisations now, but they are going to demand a better service.
“There is an increasing role for us to defend farmers’ interests. As the economy continues to boom, agriculture is going to become a smaller part of it. We have to shout louder with the Government to make our presence felt.”
Mr Cahill said without a healthy farming industry, rural Ireland will disintegrate and disappear.
“Rural communities, to survive, require farming and a thriving farming industry,” he said.
Referring to internal tensions within ICMSA in the past year, during which there was a staff strike, he said it had been a difficult period.
“Some people were not happy with the stance I took, but my view is fair play has to operate within an organisation, both fair play for staff people and fair play for elected people.
Regarding farm organisations, he said they all have the same objective, improving the lot of farmers.
“We do not want bickering between the organisations, and while we often have differences on objectives, the end goal is the same and I look forward to working with them in the future,” he said.
