NEWS & EVENTS

The Chairperson of ICMSA’s Farm Business Committee Chairperson, Pat O’Brien, has called on the so-called ‘pillar’ banks to support farmers with fairer and more realistic interest rates and loan flexibilities through 2026 and a farming environment that he said was already “obviously” challenging. Following a productive meeting between the Strategic…

ICMSA Livestock chairperson Michael O Connell has called for urgent action from AHI and ICBF in relation to ongoing issues with postage in advance of the peak calving period.  Mr. O’Connell said that over the past number of months, there has been significant issues with postage where we have seen…

In light of the milk price announcements in recent days that mean that Irish dairy farmers will be producing milk below the cost of production for the foreseeable future, ICMSA President, Denis Drennan, has called for the EU Commission to immediately introduce a EU-wide Voluntary Milk Supply Reduction Scheme that…

Dear Young Farmer, We would like to wish you a happy and healthy new year. During November 2025, ICMSA sent a survey to our Young Farmers group to see what format, topics and type of meetings/events they would like to see being held.    Based on the feedback from this…

 The Chairperson of ICMSA’s Livestock Committee, Michael O’Connell, has said that some positive news on live exports to North Africa and Vietnam cannot obscure the fundamental threat to the Irish beef sector presented by the Mercosur Agreement and Mr. O’Connell said that farmers were rightly wary of what he called…

After four difficult months in dairy markets and significant reductions in milk prices, the Chairperson of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee, Noel Murphy, said that the 6.3% increase in the first GDT auction of 2026 is ‘just what the doctor ordered’ and makes for a great start to 2026.     The ICMSA…

The President of ICMSA, Denis Drennan, has criticised the Irish Government’s “non-performance” in opposing the proposed Mercosur Agreement and he said that that the Irish Government has been “marked absent” throughout the last year in terms of taking an official and high-profile position of opposition. Mr. Drennan said that the…

ICMSA Farm Business Committee Chairperson, Mr. Pat O’Brien has expressed anger at the TAMS Ranking and Selection process, which is penalising farmers with higher stocking rates arising from TB restrictions.  Highly stocked farmers acquire negative marks under Ranking and Selection which ultimately means that they are missing out on application…

Speaking in relation to the Mercusor deal, the President of ICMSA, Mr. Denis Drennan said that the Taoiseach must stand firm at the EU Council meeting this week and reject the Mercusor deal which would have disastrous consequences for the Irish beef sector.   2025 represents the first year in thirty…

ICMSA Livestock Committee Chairperson, Mr. Michael O Connell has called on beef processors to call off the charades with regard to the ongoing price cuts and the messaging surrounding the beef trade post-Christmas. The inconsistency from factories and manipulation of their farmer population is disgraceful.   We have seen weekly price…