ICSA (Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association) sheep chair Sean McNamara is excited about what the future holds for the sector.
A third-generation sheep, suckler and beef farmer from Lismacaffrey in Co. Westmeath, Sean is in his third year as chairman, having previously served as vice-chair to John Brooks. While he has been an ICSA member for over 25 years, it has only been in the last decade that he has become actively involved in the association at national level. He ran for the ICSA presidency late last year, only to lose by a narrow margin to West Cork suckler farmer, Dermot Kelleher.
“I will run again at the end of 2022,” vows Sean, who intends seeing out his four-year term as sheep chair before then.
“I’m passionate about delivering a fair price to farmers for their produce and have led many ICSA campaigns and protests in pursuit of achieving at least the cost of production as well as a margin for primary producers.
“I also believe that the ICSA needs a greater input from young people and women. Women are the backbone of many farming enterprises across Ireland and their voices should be heard.”
He continues: “Due to Covid-19, all of our meetings have been held online since March 2020. I look forward to getting out and about, and meeting our membership once again in person when it is safe to do so.”
Sean is married to Eleanor and has four children, Vanessa, Shane, Natasha and Aaron, all of whom help out on the farm in some way. Shane’s partner, Ruth Mulligan, is also involved in the busy farm, which is located on the Westmeath-Longford border. Sean is a founding member of the Irish Wool Steering Group which was established by the ICSA in response to the total collapse of wool prices last year. The group aims to chart a way forward for the Irish wool industry with a specific focus on increasing the potential of the wool industry sector and increasing the return to sheep farmers for their wool.
To this end, Sean is calling for a reclassification at EU level to allow the sector to utilise shorn fleeces as a soil nutrient source.
“Wool is the big issue at the moment. As it stands, it’s classified as category three waste, along with animal carcasses,” he points out.
“Wool is harvested from a live animal and is 100% natural. It should be classified as a valuable natural resource that is completely safe to spread on farms as a fertiliser or as compost. Sheep farmers would get at least 70c a kilo for wool rather than the current paltry rate of 20c a kilo. Sheep shearing is only carried out nowadays for the welfare of the animal – nothing else.”
Despite the collapse in wool prices, the Westmeath man reckons the sector still has a lot going for itself.
“The future’s looking good for sheep farmers. The sector isn’t as competitive as it used to be thanks to the exodus of farmers to dairy. I’m happy enough with what we’re getting for our produce at the moment. Lambs are fetching €147 and over, while butcher’s lambs are selling for even more,” adds Sean, who is also an advocate for greater dog controls around livestock.
The ICSA was founded in 1993 by farmers who were concerned that there was not an adequate voice for the beef and lamb sectors. At first, these farmers felt that the old ICSA (Irish Cattle Traders and Stockowners’ Association) could be revived. This association had its roots in the 19th century and several references to it appear in James Joyce’s famous work, Ulysses. Following a series of meetings in traditional beef fattening areas, it was decided to relaunch the association. However, while the link with the old ICSA was retained in the name, this was very much a new start-up association that pledged to fight for all drystock farmers, including sheep and suckler farmers.
Pat Lalor, who is the man behind Kilbeggan Organic Porridge Oats, was the association’s first secretary. His vision was to put in place the structures for a professional organisation and this was reflected in the recruitment of a full-time general secretary, Eddie Collins-Hughes, and dedicated recruitment officers. Jimmy Cosgrave from Meath was the first chairman. He was succeeded by Albert Thompson from Laois in 1996.
Within a number of years, ICSA had established a full-time office in Portlaoise and the association was put on a very strong footing by Eddie Collins-Hughes on an extremely tight budget. However, he stepped down as general secretary to pursue a role in the Carers’ Association in 1998 and was succeeded by Ray Doyle, who was replaced in turn by Eddie Punch. Eddie became general secretary in 1999 and since then, the ICSA membership has grown to over 10,000 members, while its progress has been recognised in being appointed social partners by the Government. The ICSA national executive has over 100 members drawn from the 26 counties on the basis of four members for each county (subject to membership criteria).
The sheep committee has two members for every county. Philip Maguire from Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan is the current vice-chair.
“Our members are driven by a passion for what they do rather than by financial gain. We’re all voluntary with the association being funded entirely by membership,” Sean explains.
The ICSA is committed to representing the interests of Irish sheep farmers in the strongest possible way at home and abroad. For many years, the national flock was in decline, but this has recently levelled off. ICSA now wants to make sure the sector is stabilised and made attractive to young, energetic farmers.
Furthermore, the association believes that Ireland needs to be careful that any increase in sheep production is in response to an increased demand on UK and European markets. The ICSA also wants to see an end to the severe upper weight limits being imposed by the meat factories, which seriously erode sheep farmers’ profits, and is calling for greater transparency along the food chain for sheep farmers.
The ICSA sheep chair concludes by saying: “In my view, it’s all about family farm profitability. Family drystock farms must become profitable again, and our aim should be to at least achieve the average industrial wage.
“The ICSA firmly believes that farmers should be paid a fair price for their produce and will not stand back as others profiteer massively at the expense of hard-working farmers.”
ICSA National Office
3 Gandon Court,
The Fairgreen,
Portlaoise,
Co. Laois.
Telephone: 057 8662120
Fax: 057 8662121
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.icsaireland.ie
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 10 No 1, January/February 2022
ICSA National Office, Sean McNamara
