Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1947 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 23.12.1947

Farmers’ Federation

Sir. Recently there have been several letters appearing in the daily and weekly papers urging the farmers to organise, several suggesting new forms of organisation, some concentrating on the price of grain, others concentrating on the high cost of agricultural labour, while the farmers have got no increase in prices for grain (with the exception of 5/- per barrel on barley), while others suggest the Young Farmers’ Clubs should take up the organisation of farmers.

While all these suggestions are very good in their way, they show a lack of sincere co-operation on the part of the writers for the simple reason that for the past ten years the Irish Farmers’ Federation has been in existence working in the interests of all classes of farmers, and leaving no item unattended to. The IFF is a registered trade union and non-political and non-sectarian. We have county organisations in most of the Leinster counties affiliated to the IFF, and the Cavan and Monaghan Farmers’ Associations are also affiliated, while we also have the support of farmers’ organisations in other counties.

The present financial crisis in Britain is serious, no doubt, but it may prove a blessing in disguise, if only statesmen will admit that there is no difficulty in producing money, and act accordingly, while the farmers given fair prices will produce the food.

In order to get the greatest possible production it will be necessary to have the closest co-operation of the farmers, and seek their life-long experience and advice on such matters. The men at the office desk will not produce the food.

The IFF has always advocated guaranteed economic prices based on the cost of production, which will give the farmer and his family a reasonable return, and the workers an adequate wage for efficient production. National economic freedom cannot be achieved in Eire until we have a national financial system of our own; we are still tied to the British pound (and they dictate our prices), and have no power to use the credit of the nation for the benefit of our own people. On several occasions we have appealed to the Government to “Free the National Credit” in order to carry out the following essentials to a prosperous agriculture. To “close the price-gap. Stop restriction of production. Stop the taxation ramp and finance post-war reconstruction effort.”

We welcome new members, and to those who appear anxious to help in organising farmers we extend a hearty welcome to come along and join us in the good work. The Federation is there for you; what is wrong with it?

Elizabeth F. Bobbett, General Secretary, Wicklow.