Organisation: Irish Co-operative Organisation Society

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>James O'Donnell is a dairy farmer from Golden, Co Tipperary, and is a member of the Dairygold Co-operative.</p>

farming

Irish Co-operative Organisation Society elects new president

Dairy farmer and former ICOS vice-president James O’Donnell takes over the role from Jerry Long

<p>"On the basis of what we know now, it was unwise to become so heavily exposed by fixing a milk price while not having some security around inputs."</p>

farming

Some farmers with up to 90% of milk tied into fixed-price contracts

The purpose of these contracts is to provide milk suppliers with the opportunity to de-risk a portion of their milk supply. However, as inflation has soared those who signed up have been left behind.

farming

Farmers give their backing to the new Government

Farmers were generally supportive of this week’s bid to form a new Government.

home and gardens

Damien Enright: Community spirit can ensure we pull through - together

farming

Milk collection from farms continuing as normal with strict protocols in place

farming

ICOS programme key to succession in marts

Climate action plan will bring changes on every farm: Creed

Increasing protected urea from 1% of the straight-N market today to 50% by 2030 is one of the details behind the all-of-government climate plan launched last Monday.

Thu, 20 Jun, 2019

Co-ops focus on climate change

Climate change is the challenge of our generation and for generations to come, ICOS president Michael Spellman said at the co-op umbrella groups 124th annual meeting in Killenard, Co Laois.

Fri, 07 Jun, 2019

ICOS welcomes EU vote in favour of CAP reform, but concerned at threat to Ireland’s dairy sector

ICOS has welcomed the European Parliament’s agriculture committee vote 29-7 in favour of proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2020.

Tue, 02 Apr, 2019

Exporters warn that calf prices will collapse

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has joined in efforts to increase facilities in France needed for increased Irish live exports, following warnings by exporters that calf prices will collapse.

Thu, 21 Feb, 2019

ICOS: Brexit proposals do not go far enough

The British Government’s proposals for future customs arrangements and the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland following Brexit do not go far enough to ensure free trade, according to the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).

Fri, 18 Aug, 2017

ICOS chief TJ Flanagan formally takes up new seat

TJ Flanagan has formally taken his seat as ICOS chief executive, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society.

Thu, 07 Jul, 2016

Co-ops welcome Visa’s move to reduce transaction fees

A decision by Visa to reduce its fees on business debit card transactions through the Irish banks has been welcomed by Ireland’s national umbrella body for co-ops.

Mon, 27 Jun, 2016

Co-op cuts buck global dairy market trend

As world dairy markets continue to recover, the industry in Ireland has gone in the other direction, cutting peak supply milk prices.

Thu, 16 Jun, 2016

Electronic displays at marts to be grant aided

New electronic data displays in livestock marts are to be grant aided, it was revealed yesterday.

Tue, 24 May, 2016

First of its kind community shop in Courtmacsherry gets green light

A seaside village has got the go-ahead to launch the first community shop of its kind in West Cork, and local people will shortly be offered an opportunity to purchase shares in the initiative.

Thu, 21 Jan, 2016

Only about 1% of Irish herd keepers have electronic identification tagging for cattle

The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has called for mandatory electronic identification tagging (EID) of cattle in Ireland - despite only about 1% of current herd keepers opting for EID, which the Department of Agriculture already provides for in its current contract for supply of bovine tags.

Thu, 17 Dec, 2015

Will farmers gain from IFA governance restructuring?

IFA members are eagerly awaiting the release of Con Lucey’s governance review of the organisation tomorrow. Farmers will watch closely over the coming weeks to see if this report will spawn stronger leadership, bold ideas, and fresh thinking within the organisation, or just lead to politics as usual?

Mon, 14 Dec, 2015

Courtmacsherry fights loss of of rural services with first co-op shop

A lifeboat village battling the loss of rural services has plans to launch the first community shop of its kind in West Cork early next summer.

Mon, 30 Nov, 2015

Macra na Feirme wants young farmer committees aligned to co-ops

Macra na Feirme wants the country’s agricultural co-ops to establish board committees for young farmers.

Mon, 16 Nov, 2015

Phil Hogan’s ‘diplomatic offensive’ for global sales of EU food

A ‘diplomatic offensive’ to secure new markets and increased trade for European agri food products is to be launched in the New Year by Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan.

Mon, 09 Nov, 2015

Farmers urge co-ops to hold price

Farmers are facing serious cashflow and financial issues next spring, according to their leaders and the co-ops. IFA dairy committee chairman Sean O’Leary said it has decided to actively lobby co-op board members to hold the October milk price, and build upon the constructive relationship created during the year.

Thu, 05 Nov, 2015

Carbon rules may limit co-ops’ ability to reach growth ambitions

The leader of the country’s agricultural co-ops has warned that their capacity to fully realise the ambitious targets in the Government’s plans for agri-food expansion over the next 10 years may be constrained by their ability to deal with the challenge of climate change.

Wed, 04 Nov, 2015

ICOS welcomes Lakeland-Fane tie-in

Two joint ventures announced last week by Lakeland and Fane Valley co-operatives have been welcomed by the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), the country’s national umbrella body for agricultural co-ops.

Wed, 12 Aug, 2015

Foundation stone for Irish dairy

The old Dairy Disposal Company was initially a kind of Nama for the dairy industry in Munster, according to a new book.

Mon, 25 May, 2015

Phil Hogan tries to reassure British farmers

With just days to go to the end of the EU’s dairy quota regime, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has hit back at claims by British farmers that it would put them out of business.

Fri, 27 Mar, 2015

VIDEO: Mart comes to a halt for Kenmare legend Eugie

His 90 years haven’t robbed the sparkle from his eyes nor the strength from his limbs, and he loves to challenge people half his age.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2015

Agri-food sector highlights job openings to potential recruits

The Irish agri-food sector contributes €24bn to the national economy, generates almost 10% of exports and provides 7.7% of national employment. When inputs, processing and marketing is included, the sector accounts for almost 10% of employment.

Mon, 05 Jan, 2015

AGRI-FOOD SECTOR: Fertile opportunities in a healthy sector

The Irish agrifood sector contributes €24bn to the national economy, generates almost 10% of exports and provides 7.7% of national employment.

Fri, 19 Dec, 2014

Economy stabilising, bumpy ride for dairy farmers

I attended a dairy conference hosted by Bandon Co-op last week, at which ICOS Dairy Policy Executive TJ Flanagan and economist Jim Power spoke.

Thu, 18 Dec, 2014

Dairy market volatility: Can we hedge our bets to protect Irish farmers?

Dairy market volatility has been at the back of most farmer’s minds over the last couple of years. But it was probably quite far back — right behind expansion plans, capital expenditure, cow numbers, grass management, and all the day-to-day stuff they have to deal with as a business.

Mon, 01 Dec, 2014

O’Dowd welcomes proposed amendment to finance bill

Macra na Feirme national president Kieran O’Dowd has welcomed the proposed amendment to the finance bill to change the criteria to qualify as a ‘farmer’ for the purposes of agricultural relief for capital acquisitions tax.

Thu, 27 Nov, 2014

ICOS: Measures on Russian import ban welcome but lack real impact

Measures introduced by the European Commission following Russia’s ban on imports of dairy and other products from the EU were welcome but lack real impact, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society has claimed.

Fri, 12 Sep, 2014

‘Dramatic and bold move needed to halt decline in dairy markets’

A dramatic and bold move is needed by the European Commission to halt the decline in dairy markets, according to the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), the umbrella body for co-ops.

Sat, 06 Sep, 2014

Dairy support measures to offset Russian ban not enough, says ICOS

The market support measures announced by the European Commission for the dairy sector, to alleviate the impact of the Russian ban on food imports, were welcome but do not go far enough.

Tue, 02 Sep, 2014

Ukraine agri has potential despite conflict

The protests that started in Kiev last November, which led to former president Viktor Yanukovych fleeing into exile, were a direct consequence of a Ukrainian populous weary of corruption and cronyism.

Mon, 01 Sep, 2014

Training and advisory events to help jobseekers get a foot in the door

Jobseekers are invited to meet co-op representatives at a training and advisory event in Thurles next Thursday.

Fri, 22 Aug, 2014

Co-ops to scrap limits on individual shareholdings under new legislation

Co-ops will soon see caps removed on an individual’s shareholding and the amount a society may raise in funds without the written permission of the Registrar of Friendly Societies, under new legislation.

Tue, 15 Jul, 2014

O’Leary and Keane re-elected as ICOS president and vice-president

The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society has announced the re-election of Dairygold’s Bertie O’Leary as president and Glanbia’s Martin Keane as vice-president by a unanimous vote.

Sat, 21 Jun, 2014

Must ensure agrifood success will benefit everyone from farm to fork

The agriculture and food industry has a big contribution to make to the recovery and renewal of our economy. It has an equally big contribution to make to community well-being and the fabric of rural life.

Tue, 27 May, 2014

‘Foot in the Door’ training clinics for agrifood jobseekers to begin

Agrifood sector jobseekers will gather in Mallow next Thursday for the first in a series of free nationwide ‘Foot in the Door’ training and advisory clinics.

Thu, 22 May, 2014

New Forest Owners Co-op for private land

A forest-management plan to cover thousands of hectares of privately owned plantations across the south of Ireland is the aim of the Forest Owners Co-op, which will be launched in Macroom on Friday, May 9.

Thu, 17 Apr, 2014

Irish factories ‘ban’ on Irish cattle subverting trade with UK, says ICOS

The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has told the European Directorate for Competition that Irish meat factories are subverting the free trade of livestock between Ireland and the UK.

Thu, 10 Apr, 2014

Managing volatility key to dairy sector expansion

Investments by the Irish Dairy Board demonstrate routes to market for our expanded production are well developed

Mon, 31 Mar, 2014

Co-op visionary Maher honoured

THE fact sheet of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society is impressive reading by any global business standard.

Mon, 06 Jan, 2014

‘Not taking a risk is the biggest risk for business’

In the case of livestock marts, credit risk and the relatively small scale of operations of some marts are closely interrelated

Mon, 02 Dec, 2013

Food commentators ‘as big a threat as market volatility to dairy growth’

Food commentators in the media and social networks represent as big a threat as market volatility to dairy and livestock growth ambitions, experts warned at yesterday’s ICOS national conference.

Tue, 26 Nov, 2013

Proposed legislation will cut the red-tape burden for co-ops

The umbrella body for the country’s co-ops has welcomed proposed new legislation aimed at reducing red tape on how they operate.

Mon, 05 Aug, 2013

ICOS rejects back-door milk quota in CAP reform

Ireland is potentially on the cusp of unprecedented dairy industry development.

Thu, 04 Apr, 2013

Call for shareholders to support Glanbia’s proposals for joint venture

The president of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) Bertie O’Leary has called on Glanbia shareholders to vote “yes” and pave the way for the creation of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland.

Tue, 06 Nov, 2012