As IFA National Sheep Committee Chairman, Sean Dennehy is providing a strong voice both at home and abroad to Ireland’s 35,000 sheep farmers. We touched base with the affable Cork man to discuss some of the challenges facing the sheep sector at present and IFA’s work to address these issues.
Elected to the National Sheep Committee in 2011, Sean Dennehy succeeded Mayo man John Lynskey as chairman in January, 2018. During the ensuing 20 months, the Cork sheep farmer has been working hard to make sure that the voices of Ireland’s sheep farmers are heard and heeded on both the national and international stages.
A lowland sheep farmer with 300 ewes and 100 ewe lambs in Shandangan, Carrigadrohid – in Cork’s Muskerry and Lee Valley regions – Sean was also elected vice-chairman of the COPA (European Umbrella body for European Farm Organisations) Sheep Working Group in Brussels over the summer, which leaves him well placed to represent Ireland’s sheep farms in Europe as well as at home.
With 35,000 farmers and an output of over €300m, sheep farming is a critically important farming enterprise in many counties but particularly in the West and in mountain and hill regions. Ireland is the fourth largest sheepmeat exporter in the world, and the second largest in Europe, exporting over 62,000 tonnes in 2017 totalling €311m.
“I was elected by the IFA National Sheep Committee as Chairman,” Sean notes. “It’s a demanding role and there’s a lot of work to do but it’s something that I wanted to do and I really enjoy the work and representing my fellow sheep farmers”.
“Look, I’ve been sheep farming for 36 years now, since I left school. At this stage, I know sheep farming inside-out. Working through the IFA structure and meeting sheep farmers all over the country, they keep you well-grounded and very focused on the key challenges facing the sector. I’m determined to make sure these issues are top of the agenda for both Governments and the EU Commission and to secure solutions.”
Lamb prices, low incomes, Brexit and CAP are some of the key issues Sean highlights as priorities. “Lamb prices are a real challenge this year, running about 8% below last year levels. UK prices are back 13%.
“IFA is always putting pressure on the factories to pay the maximum price. Twice a week we put out a text, tweet and app message to our members as well as to the agri-media with the best prices paid or on offer. This helps the farmers make well informed decisions when selling. We strongly support the live export trade. We push promotions in Bord Bia. We also engaged with and meet the factories and Meat Industry Ireland (MII) regularly on maximising returns and other market related issues for farmers. Currently, IFA is pushing hard to get a higher bonus of 30c/kg for Quality Assurance.
“Lamb prices and direct payments are the key components of farm income. Average sheep farm income has fallen to just over €13,000. We are working to put more money into farmers’ pockets. IFA is demanding a €30 per ewe targeted direct payment for sheep, from a combination of CAP and national funding. We have put this case very strongly to Minister Creed and his Department”.
“This targeted payment is aimed at rewarding the farmers who go out, day and night, in all kinds of weather looking after their sheep. Its aimed at the farmers who have the sheep, who lamb the ewes and who do all the work. We want these people to be properly rewarded for their efforts.”
“We’re in the third year of the €10 per ewe Sheep Welfare Scheme, which IFA secured for sheep farmers. This is worth €80m to the sheep sector. Originally this was a €25m pa scheme, and was introduced because of the unacceptable low incomes in the sector. IFA wants to see the full €25m drawn down and we also want to have the scheme extended until the new CAP comes into place, with a higher level of targeted payment for sheep farmers.”
“We’re also looking for a strong environmental scheme that suits farmers and that they can get real income out of. Under the old REPS scheme farmers were able to get up to €10,000 in payment. We need to see a similar type or better scheme in the next CAP.”
Sean Dennehy pointed out that in some areas, particularly hill and mountain areas, sheep farming is the only enterprise that can be carried out. “In these areas, income from the market is very low and direct payments and environmental schemes must properly reward these farmers for the job they do in protecting the environment and biodiversity. In addition, sheep farmers make a vital socio-economic contribution in these areas.
Brexit is a huge threat and the amount of uncertainty it’s causing in Ireland, the UK and throughout Europe is very damaging, according to the National Sheep Chairman.
“We have about 430,000 sheep coming in from Northern Ireland every year and that’s very controversial in its own right. We also export the equivalent of 660,000 sheep from our processing plants to the UK. In the event of a hard Brexit, both the imports and exports would be in trouble.
“We also have a land-bridge-to-market problem for our exports travelling through the UK to the EU single market to consider as well as sorting out the TRQ (Tariff Rate Quota) agreements between the EU and New Zealand and Australia. Through our Brussels office and our connection with COPA and the EU Commission, the IFA is constantly battling on these issues.”
Sean has scaled back his own sheep operation over recent years. “The system was very intensive with a lot of rented land, which was expensive and no longer available, and I had to change it. I got in some dairy heifers and changed things around. The mixed grazing has suited the sheep”.
Returning to his work with the National Sheep Committee, Sean points out that in IFA it’s very much a team effort. “My job is to lead and drive the sheep issues and polices with the President which are formulated on a consensus and democratic basis from our farmer members through the 945 branches and 29 County executives.
“Structure is important and the 29 farmers that make up the National Sheep Committee are democratically elected by their fellow farmers in their counties. We meet regularly and as Chairman I report to the IFA National Council every month. In turn I attend COPA and EU Commission meetings a number of times each year in Brussels.
“We use the direction given by the farmers on our Committee to lobby the Minister for Agriculture, Department officials and the EU Commission to get a positive outcome. Our main objective is to put money in sheep farmers pockets. We want a fair income for all sheep farmers, both hill and lowland, so that they can make a living and get a fair reward for their work.”
Its vitally important that sheep farmers are well represented strongly at both national and European level. “The IFA organisational set-up is excellent. It’s based on farmers working for farmers, with professional help and assistance from the staff team. I believe the IFA are doing good work for sheep farmers,” he concludes. “I’d really encourage younger sheep farmers to get involved. I know that it can be hard to find the time when you are starting out and maybe have a young family as well. But getting involved, working with other farmers in shaping policy and lobbying for your sector means you are driving for the future, not only your own farm business, but for all Irish farmers. There is great strength and unity in that.”
Despite all the challenges, Sean still loves sheep farming. “I love it and I like to get out with the dogs and it’s always nice to see young lambs coming along in the Spring time. I enjoy the challenge of always trying to do it better and I suppose I’m lucky in that I’ve been doing this for 36 years now and I know it so well.”
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 7 No 6, November 2019
