Cullinan urges farmers to support him
Toomevara farmer Tim Cullinan this week said he is the best man to lead the Irish Farmers Association for the next four years, as he urged members in Tipperary to support him for the top job.
The final big push in the huge effort being made by his supporters to get the Toomevara man first over the line came this week when they opened an election campaign office in Friar's Court off Pearse Street in Nenagh.
"We have an excellent team and I think it's ideal that we now have an office here in Nenagh where people can come in and make phone calls to farmers all over the country and try to get the vote out," said Cullinan, speaking to The Guardian.
He made a special appeal to IFA members in Tipperary to get behind him. "Tipperary is the heart of farming country and there are almost 6,000 votes to be sought here in the county itself. I know Tipperary farmers are supporting me, but you can't be complacent."
While the campaign has been demanding, Cullinan said he was enjoying meeting farmers from all over the country and listening to their concerns. "There's a lot of concern out there. The beef crisis has been going on for a number of years and there is concern in the dairy sector about the future of milk prices. Then there's the whole environmental side of things and concerns over where the whole methane emissions issue is going.
"In the sheep sector there is a lot of concern over prices, and the environmental scheme which has to be renewed. We hope to get a better package for sheep farmers going forward."
The Toomevara man said the tillage sector was also facing big challenges and the costs of production for all farmers was "going through the roof".
"The prices we are now receiving as farmers is the same as what we were getting in the 1990s, and this is a huge challenge that I aim to take on over the next four years if elected."
He added: "My mission is to improve the income of all farmers and make farming less stressful with incentives built in.
"The other big issue is CAP reform. I am saying we need to hold on to the budget that we have. We also cannot allow any more convergence and we cannot let any minister take any more money off farmers. We just have to shout stop.
"We have to look after vulnerable sectors such, those with suckler cows and sheep and my proposal is for a €200 coupled payment for suckler cows and €30 payment per ewe as well as a €10,000 environmenrtal scheme similar to the REPS scheme."
TIPP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
A showdown with the other two candidates in the presidential race will take place in the Horse and Jockey Hotel near Thurles on Thursday, November 14th, at 8pm where farmers will hear in more detail the vision Cullinan has for the future of the association and for farmers if elected to the top job.
The two other candidates nominated are John Coughlan from the Buttevant branch in North Cork and Angus Woods from the Barndarrig branch in Wicklow.
The National Returning Officer Richard Kennedy is encouraging farmers to attend the debate to hear from each of the candidates. "Our presidential election gives every member the same say in choosing the next President of IFA. It’s an important exercise in democracy and it affords farmers across all enterprises, and in every part of the country, an equal voice in deciding who is best placed to represent Irish farmers from 2020 on," he said.
Voting in IFA branches will begin on Monday, November 25th, and end on Friday, December 13th. The election count will take place on Tuesday, December 17th, in the Castleknock Hotel in Dublin.
Cullinan earnestly wants to lead the association. "I honestly believe I am the man for the job.I am the only candidate that has outlined a radical plan for the restructuring of the association. I believe that if you are going to be a leader you need to have a plan."
He was delighted the support he has received for his campaign."I appreciate the effort that has been put in by so many people have been working tirelessly for me," he said.