About ICSA

ICSA has been representing the interests of drystock farmers for the last 15 years.

Our main areas of concern are for the advancement and development of beef, sheep and suckler farmers. We have an excellent track record for bringing about fundamental changes in legislation over the past number of years, most notably in securing decoupling.

ICSA Policy Background

ICSA emerged as a farming lobby group, specifically for cattle and sheep farmers following the 1992 McSharry Reform of the CAP. The farmers who began the development of ICSA identified a number of flaws and inequities introduced in the 1992 reform. These issues formed the basis of the ICSA policy objectives during the Agenda 2000 negotiations, right up to the Fischler reforms of 2003 and can be summarised as follows.

• Direct payments to farmers were based on quantity of production rather than quality of production

• The quota production system introduced acted as a barrier to entry and expansion for farmers

• Farmers who did not produce their own calves had their premia entitlements capitalized into the price of the cattle they purchased

• Premia entitlements were only granted on male calves leaving producers of heifer beef at a disadvantage

• Animal retention periods in order to collect premia led to distortions in the supply and price of both cattle and sheep

• The system became over bureaucratic with excessive amounts of paperwork and form filling

• Export refunds paid to beef processors were passed onto third country meat buyers rather than back to producers

• Farm gate prices failed to keep pace with retail prices, resulting in retailers rather than farmers benefiting most from the EU direct payments system.

As a solution to these problems, ICSA lobbied at national and EU level for an area based payment system for farmers.  

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The Organisation

Elected Officials

ICSA has a president, who can serve up to 3 terms of 2 years.

He sits on and can appoint one other to the management committee, along with the general secretary, an elected secretary, elected treasurer and one other elected official.

There are four elected commodity chairman, one each for Beef, Sheep, Suckler and Rural Development.

Each commodity has a committee, made up of a vice chairman and members of the ICSA National Executive. 

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Staff

The head office of ICSA is in Portlaoise, and the General Secretary oversees a Research Executive, a Press and Communications Officer, a Research Officer a Development Officer and an Administration Officer.