IFA Levy

Funding a United Voice for Farmers

The farming sector is a complex one with many stakeholders. IFA provides a unified, independent and impartial voice to lobby and advocate for Irish farm businesses.

IFA represents and protects all Irish Farm businesses at home, in Europe and Internationally. The Association was established by farmers for farmers. The IFA levy forms an important role in funding this farmer representation at all levels to ensure that farmers and their farm business are supported. IFA is a democratic association, organised into 941 branches, 29 county executives and 19 national committees. Our democratic structure gives each member a chance to have a say in the development of IFA policy and priorities.

Essential Presence in Europe

FA levy ensures a strong and permanent presence for Irish Farmers in Brussels. The Brussels office plays a crucial role in promoting and defending Irish farmers’ interests in Europe.

Regular contact is maintained with top European civil servants responsible for beef, milk, cereals, sheep, pigs, veterinary questions, rural development, forestry, environment, horticulture, feeding stuffs, potatoes, horses and aquaculture sectors, to ensure that Irish farmers’ interests are clearly understood. The Brussels office also provides an effective communications link with EU decision-makers.

This is achieved by holding formal and informal meetings with the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and other Commissioners and cabinet officials. The office also deals directly with key Commission officials responsible for formulating policy proposals in agriculture, environment, trade and other areas.

The IFA office monitors Council of Ministers’ meetings and EU Summits where critical decisions are taken and gives policy briefings to members of the European Parliament including members of its influential agriculture committee.
IFA represents Irish farmers in COPA, which is the umbrella group of European farmers’ organisations and actively participates in COPA working groups across the entire spectrum of commodities and non-commodity areas. At international level, IFA is in contact with other farm organisations and attends meetings of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO).

Support at Local Level

Your concerns are our concerns. IFA levy also contributes to local representation and supports and advice for farmers.

Key IFA Campaigns

‘Enough is Enough’ Campaign

To highlight and address the growing operational uncertainty; income challenges; complexity and delayed administration of the new CAP Programme, IFA led a nationwide ‘Enough is Enough’ tractor campaign, which alongside efforts all across Europe, helped deliver a CAP Simplification Package and realisation that a ‘topdown’
approach, without adequate consultation, practical measures and/or impact assessments or funding streams is a hit to the viability of family farms and unacceptable.

See more from the campaign here.

Nitrates Derogation

Given its economic significance to rural Ireland, and viability spanning all farm sectors, retaining the Nitrates Derogation is one of IFA’s core priorities. Recently secured a separate 60% grant aid scheme for nutrient storage along with a planning exemption for their construction. Accelerated capital allowances was also secured
for nutrient storage as part of Budget 2024.

See more on our derogation campaign here.

CAP

CAP supports are paramount to sustain farm families. A €9.8bn package was delivered and IFA secured added financial supports for Young Farmers in their first years of business; further derogation for GAEC-2, and brought practical solutions to the excessive catch-crop lie-back area rules imposed by DAFM without consultation. We
continue to engage here at home and across the EU in preparation for CAP post-2027.

Find out more about our CAP campaigns here.

ACRES

IFA lobbied hard to get all 55,000 applicants into ACRES. With continued payment delays and frustration IFA secured a €4k / €5k interim payment for impacted farmers, and since obtained guarantees from DAFM that maximum flexibility around any repayment of excess Interim payments will apply where relevant. IFA continues to
pressure around outstanding issues, including delayed balancing payments; lack of scorecards; 100m buffers around turbary activity; delayed Non-Productive Investment approvals.

More info on our ACRES lobbying can be found here.

Climate

IFA continues to ensure that Irish Farmers have a voice and are key stakeholders in the Climate action plan. Measures surrounding the Nature Restoration Plan must be voluntary only, with full impact assessment and secure long-term funding streams in place in advance of implementation.

Follow our climate campaign work here.

TAMS

In TAMS 3, IFA lobbied hard and secured increased grant-aid rates, investment items and investment ceilings across a greater number of schemes, most particularly for young farmers and female farmers. We continue to press for additional items to be supported (e.g. dribble bar; rubber mats etc) and streamlined application approval process,
most particularly for water quality / animal health / environmental type investments.

See more on our TAMS lobbying here.

Farmers’ Charter of Rights

A stronger ‘Farmers Charter of Rights’ secured, including amongst others a reversion to traditional farm payment schedule; greater engagement with IFA in scheme design and amends (the latter since utilised to deliver Baling Assistance Payment) and farm inspection obligations on the part of DAFM.

Read the current Farmers’ Charter of Rights here.

Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT)

IFA has been the one farm organisation that has consistently challenged the RZLT and its unfair, unjust, and disproportionate impact on thousands of active farmers. Through strong submissions and lobbying efforts at national & local level, IFA have secured political commitment, across all parties, that active farmers will be exempt from RZLT. We will continue to press hard to ensure this is delivered, and active farmers exempt from RZLT.

The farming sector is a complex one with many stakeholders. IFA provides a unified, independent and impartial
voice to lobby and advocate for Irish farm businesses.

Find our RZLT information hub here.

IFA Levy & Membership

While IFA represents all Irish Farmers on policy issues at home, in Europe and Internationally, it is necessary to become a member in order to avail of individual access to supports and services including:

• Debt support
• Legal advice
• Direct payment and inspections
• Member benefits that include discounted insurance with FBD
• Members services including discounted utility services. IFA Member Services deliver genuine savings to IFA
• members to help reduce farm business and home costs. The services offered at discounted rates to our members include telecom, mobile and power.

How Much is Levy & Why?

The rate of IFA is 0.15 of 1% of each sale. This translates to €1.50 for every €1,000 sale or €15 for every €10,000 sale.

Contact

If you would like to speak to a member of staff with regard to levy, please contact your local office here.