John Coughlan, Tim Cullinan and Angus Woods (listed alphabetically, folks) will contest the IFA presidency.

Livestock chair Woods received his nominations from his native Wicklow, and the chairs from Carlow, Laois, Louth, Roscommon and Wexford.

National treasurer Cullinan was nominated by Tipperary North (his own executive) and the chairs from Tipperary South, Clare, Donegal, Meath and Offaly.

Munster regional chair Coughlan, who hosted a 400-strong launch party in his farmyard on Saturday, gained nominations from his own Cork North executive, and the chairs from Cork Central, Cork West, Kilkenny, Mayo and Limerick.

There will be a contest for the deputy presidency, between Cavan’s Thomas Cooney and Kildare’s Brian Rushe. Confirming his candidacy on Monday, Cooney said he would “work tirelessly” to ensure a viable future for farmers.

Regional chairs

The Munster regional chair will be either Willie Hanrahan (Clare), Harold Kingston (Cork central), or Pat O’Driscoll (Kerry). Either John Hanley (Roscommon) or Pat Murphy (Galway) will succeed Padraic Joyce in Connacht. Tom Short and Nigel Reneghan have been returned unopposed in their regions.

A marathon round of 17 hustings begins in Limerick on Monday 21 October, with voting set to start on 25 November. Votes will be counted on 17 December.

And they’re in. Angus Woods (centre) John Coughlan (third from the left) and Tim Culinan (extreme left) are all in the race to succeed IFA president Joe Healy, pictured here confronting Minister Michael Creed. \ John Allen

Commissioner for agriculture nominee pulled up on expenses

It caught my eye that Janusz Wojciechowski, the Polish politician earmarked as the next European commissioner for agriculture, was ordered to repay €11,243 in travel expenses.

The former MEP was subject to an inquiry by the EU’s

anti-fraud agency and it uncovered a “series of inconsistencies”.

The money relates to July 2016, when Wojciechowski was still an MEP.

The issue was raised at a hearing before MEPs about his suitability for the role as commissioner for agriculture. Wojciechowski said he had handed back the sum in question before the investigation was launched.

One MEP wondered how Wojciechowski could be trusted with responsibility for a €365bn CAP budget if he could not keep track of his own expenses.

Dairy Council TV milk advert banned

I see the National Dairy Council (NDC) has been forced to pull an advertisement for milk.

Why?

Because a company that produces nut drinks believed the advert was “misleading” and complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

In the advert, two girls count the ingredients in two drinks – milk and a nut-based drink. The nut drink contained 12 ingredients.

However the company that complained argued to the ASA that its drink contains only two or three ingredients.

The complaint was upheld by the ASA and the advert has been pulled from television screens.

In fairness, I think that requiring an ingredients list for any type of ‘milk’ is baffling. Perhaps the query should be whether or not nuts make milk at all?

Defence power

I spotted something this week that might be of interest to machinery dealers.

The Irish Defence Forces is looking for five new tractors, one in the region of 175 brake horse power (BHP) and four between 75BHP and 100BHP.

What the Defence Forces are doing with tractors, I’d love to know.

If it wasn’t for the fact that they want new tractors only, I know of one that’s been through the wars in my yard and is still going.

Dairygold rules

A 16-member committee has been set up to review the rules of Dairygold Co-op. Farmer members had until last Monday to make submissions. Up for discussion are the requirement for an elected farmer to purchase at least 80% of their inputs from the co-op and for a farmer to purchase at least 50% of inputs before they can be nominated for the board or committee. Other issues on the table are the 65 years of age rule for share redemption and what to do with new milk.

€2,200 bullock

I see the sale of a bullock raised €2,200 for charity in Gortatlea Mart, Co Kerry.

The 770kg Charolais bullock donated by Castlemaine-based farmers, George and Monica Nagle was knocked down to Eoin O’Sullivan, Killorglin. The money was donated to Fr Marian Kopko Curator of Abbey Church in Krzeszow, Poland for orphan children.

Mart manager Maurice Brosnan commended the Nagles for their donation during a difficult time for beef farmers.

Tractor run

A tractor and car run is being held on Sunday 6 October in aid of Gorey Hospital in Co Wexford.

Co Wexford locals are urged to dust down their tractors, cars, lorries and bikes for the occasion.

Registration is €20 per vehicle from 12.30pm at the Bunker Bar. The run will kick off at 1pm and will head for Kilinearin, Hollyfort and back into the town of Gorey, before returning to the Bunker for a food and music.

Flying US visit for Glanbia team

I hear that more than 100 members of the board and council of Glanbia are flying out to America later this week to look at their US investment portfolio. I understand that a jet has been chartered to fly them from state to state.