Brian Rushe

Irish Farmers Association

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) is a national organisation to represent the interests of all sectors of farming in the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in January 1955 as the National Farmers Association (NFA), aiming to lead Irish farmers out of the depression and deprivation which had dominated rural Ireland for decades. The NFA merged in the 1960s with four smaller organisations representing specific sectors (including beet growers, horticulture, and fresh milk producers) to form the Irish Farmers Association – the IFA. In the 1972 referendum on Irish membership of the European Economic Community, the IFA campaigned for a "yes" vote, seeking access to European markets and higher prices for agricultural produce. The IFA's head office is at the Irish Farm Centre, in Bluebell, Dublin. It also maintains 12 regional offices and an office in Brussels. It is considered one of the most powerful lobby groups in Irish politics.