FARMERS SHOOK OFF THE MANTLE OF VICTIMHOOD AND CREATED REAL CHANGE

John McCarthy lit the torch with an article in the Limerick Leader where he condemned the exploitation of farmers at fairs and advocated a co-operative marketing system, suggesting there would be “no more humiliation of the farmer or condemnation of his cattle, a feature which is characteristic of every fair”.

There followed a series of meetings throughout Limerick. Having gathered share capital of £16,937, Golden Vale Co-operative Mart Ltd was registered in April 1956. By summer 1958, state-of-the-art mart premises were opened at Kilmallock and the first animal sold was a heifer that made £62.10s. Liston’s book charts the growth of this rural business from one mart in 1958 to five marts operating today. It has expanded into farm and residential property sales, into green energy and has investments and interests in countries like Poland and Germany.

Of course, not everyone was happy with the development of the co-op marts, especially the dealers and the exporters who, for the first time, were being forced into transparency. For the farmers, knowledge was now power.

GVM and the co-operative marts form one of the success stories where farmers took control, shook off the mantle of victimhood and created real change. It strikes me that the situation of Ireland and Irish agriculture in the face of Brexit is like farmers facing the traditional fair — potentially, spectators at their own misfortune. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the way the pioneers of the co-operative marts did their business.