The Kilkenny man last night said he was in for the long haul to secure a better deal for farmers.

John Bryan secured a resounding victory to become the next president of the Irish Farmers Association, outpolling his nearest rival by two to one.

The scale of his victory, winning 56% of the vote on a record turnout, meant the count at Dublin’s Citywest Hotel did not have to go to transfers, and he was declared elected after the first round.

Outgoing Deputy President Derek Deane from Carlow came second on 28pc and Dairy Chairman Richard Kennedy from Limerick trailed on 16pc. More than 40,000 members turned out to cast their votes at 947 IFA branches over the last three weeks.

John was victorious in all four provinces but he enjoyed particular success in Connacht, where his previous achievements for beef farmers — most notably driving an EU-wide ban on Brazilian beef imports — helped him win by six to one in counties such as Galway.

The 51 year old from Inistioge has pledged to work tirelessly to secure better prices for farmers, by sitting down with processors and supermarkets to negotiate.

A particular Thank You to those helpers from outside Kilkenny who were very hospitable while we were working in their areas.

A chara,

I am well aware of the very strong concerns in your area about the Teagasc decision to close Mountbellew Agricultural College. Having spoken to several people in your area and realising the clear need for an agricultural college in Connacht, I want to put on the record that, immediately after the closure was announced, I proposed at IFA national council that this decision be reversed.

I have gone on the record at the IFA national council, at a meeting with Professor Gerry Boyle, Director of Teagasc, and at several of the presidential debates around the country that I totally oppose the decision to close the college. If elected IFA President, I will immediately push for a reversal of this decision.

The college is vital to the agricultural sector in the west, north-west and midlands. Its closure makes no sense in the context of the unprecedented demand for agricultural education. The number of young people attending agricultural colleges has increased by over 70% in the past three years and the number of participants in agricultural training courses is now at its highest level in more than two decades. In contrast, in this year alone, demand for construction-related courses has dropped by 35%.

I would appreciate if you would make your branch members aware of my stance on this issue at your AGM.

Yours Sincerely,

John J Bryan

“There is currently one Department of Agriculture official for every 30 farmers. This compares to one gárda for every 400 citizens at a time when many rural dwellers are living in terror.”

“The large number of officials from other state agencies and local authorities involved in regulating farming further increases the ratio of inspectors to farmers. At a minimum, we are looking at one official for every 25 farmers,” said John Bryan.

John Bryan committed that, if elected IFA President, he would insist on a root and branch review of the full inspection regime in farming.

“Regulation has become an industry in itself. Farmers and taxpayers cannot afford nonsensical rules. A prime example is the latest proposal on electronic sheep identification. This is bureaucratic madness,” he said.

John Bryan said the proposal to close a large number of gárda stations is causing grave worry in rural areas.

“Having visited thousands of farm homes in recent months, I am shocked at the high level of fear that exists in rural areas right across the country. As a society, we cannot tolerate so many of our citizens living in permanent terror. The closure of gárda stations will make this situation even worse,” he said.

A native of Currow, Galwey is not the only Kerry person involved in John Bryan’s campaign.  Bill Costello, also a native of Currow, is manager of Bryan’s election campaign.

Well known to thousands of Kerry farm families, Bill Costello spent 17 years, from 1969 to 1986, as an agricultural adviser in Kerry.  He then moved to Kilkenny where he acted as Chief Agricultural Officer (CAO) and was Teagasc Area Manager for Kilkenny and Waterford until his retirement two years ago.

He visited hundreds of IFA members in Kerry during the past two weeks seeking their support for John Bryan.

Mick Galwey Endorses Bryan Campaign

Bill Costello (centre) and Mick Galwey are pictured with John Bryan outside Kilkenny mart last week.

Addressing the Local Authority Members’ Association conference in Limerick, John Bryan said the decisions to establish large scale housing developments in towns and villages where demand never existed exemplified the madness in the construction bubble. At the same time, many local authorities were refusing to allow family members build a home on the family farm.

Speaking to 250 elected members of local authorities at the Limerick conference, John Bryan also said that he was very concerned about the additional powers being given to the Minister for the Environment over local planning in new legislation that is now being framed.

“The current Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, is distinctly anti rural Ireland and has no appreciation of the role of the family farm in maintaining vibrant rural communities. Farmers and those representing them on local authorities have reason to be worried about his extreme green agenda,” said John Bryan.

He called on elected local representatives to join with the IFA in lobbying Ministers and members of the Oireachtas to ensure that the cutbacks in REPS and other schemes are reversed.

“The cutbacks will cost the rural economy more than double the actual savings and will result in more than 20,000 job losses in rural areas. Councillors elected by members of the farming community must ensure that the government is fully aware of the impact of its decisions,” he said.

“With some 7,000 farmers in Mayo, more than 10% of total participants, involved in REPS, the impact of closing the scheme on the welfare of farm families and rural areas will be horrendous. Without REPS, many of these farm families will be forced onto the Farm Assist Scheme. Also up to 2,000 people involved in providing REPS-related services in the county will lose their jobs. The decision makes no economic sense,” said John Bryan.

The Kilkenny drystock farmer, who visited a large number of farms in Mayo last week, said he is committed to a new and smarter style of leadership in order to reverse the savage cutbacks and to bring the agri-food sector centre stage in economic recovery.

“Ensuring that farmers are treated as equal partners with government, processors and retailers must dominate the IFA agenda over the coming years. The government has completely reneged on the last two partnership deals and the supermarkets are second only to the banks in the way they have ripped off the Irish economy. Partnership cannot be a one-way street,” he said.

John Bryan said his track record in delivering real benefits for farmers demonstrated his leadership and negotiating skills. He pointed to his central role in securing an EU ban on Brazilian beef imports, in negotiating the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme and in protecting live cattle exports.

“With over 6,000 farmers in Galway, or 10% of total participants, involved in REPS, the impact of closing the scheme on the welfare of farm families and rural areas will be horrendous. Without REPS, many of these farm families will be forced onto the Farm Assist Scheme. Also up to 2,000 people involved in providing REPS-related services in the county will lose their jobs. The decision makes no economic sense,” said John Bryan.

The Kilkenny drystock farmer, who visited a large number of farms in Galway last week, said he is committed to a new and smarter style of leadership in order to reverse the savage cutbacks and to bring the agri-food sector centre stage in economic recovery.

“Ensuring that farmers are treated as equal partners with government, processors and retailers must dominate the IFA agenda over the coming years. The government has completely reneged on the last two partnership deals and the supermarkets are second only to the banks in the way they have ripped off the Irish economy. Partnership cannot be a one-way street,” he said.

John Bryan said his track record in delivering real benefits for farmers demonstrated his leadership and negotiating skills. He pointed to his central role in securing an EU ban on Brazilian beef imports, in negotiating the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme and in protecting live cattle exports.

“With some 7,000 farmers in Mayo, more than 10% of total participants, involved in REPS, the impact of closing the scheme on the welfare of farm families and rural areas will be horrendous. Without REPS, many of these farm families will be forced onto the Farm Assist Scheme. Also up to 2,000 people involved in providing REPS-related services in the county will lose their jobs. The decision makes no economic sense,” said John Bryan.

The Kilkenny drystock farmer, who visited a large number of farms in Mayo last week, said he is committed to a new and smarter style of leadership in order to reverse the savage cutbacks and to bring the agri-food sector centre stage in economic recovery.

“Ensuring that farmers are treated as equal partners with government, processors and retailers must dominate the IFA agenda over the coming years. The government has completely reneged on the last two partnership deals and the supermarkets are second only to the banks in the way they have ripped off the Irish economy. Partnership cannot be a one-way street,” he said.

John Bryan said his track record in delivering real benefits for farmers demonstrated his leadership and negotiating skills. He pointed to his central role in securing an EU ban on Brazilian beef imports, in negotiating the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme and in protecting live cattle exports.

“Leitrim has the highest level of REPS participation in the country with over 95% of all farmers in the county involved in the scheme. The impact of closing the scheme on the welfare of the 3,300 Leitrim farmers involved in REPS and on the rural hinterland will be horrendous.

“Without REPS, many of these farm families will be forced onto the Farm Assist Scheme. Also over 1,000 people involved in providing REPS-related services in the county will lose their jobs. The decision makes no economic sense,” said John Bryan.

The Kilkenny drystock farmer, who visited a large number of farms in Leitrim last week, said he is committed to a new and smarter style of leadership in order to reverse the savage cutbacks and to bring the agri-food sector centre stage in economic recovery.

“Ensuring that farmers are treated as equal partners with government, processors and retailers must dominate the IFA agenda over the coming years. The government has completely reneged on the last two partnership deals and the supermarkets are second only to the banks in the way they have ripped off the Irish economy. Partnership cannot be a one-way street,” he said.

John Bryan said his track record in delivering real benefits for farmers demonstrated his leadership and negotiating skills. He pointed to his central role in securing the EU ban on Brazilian beef imports, in negotiating the Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme and in protecting live cattle exports.