A press release claiming to be from the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has been sent to some media outlets, the association has confirmed.
Agriland understands that this fake press release, sent to media last night (Tuesday, June 18) claimed that the IFA president Francie Gorman had resigned.
However, this is not the case.
In a confirmation today, the IFA said that this press release was not issued by the organisation, and that its content is “utterly false”. The association called on media outlets that received the release to disregard it.
The false statement is understood to have referenced yesterday’s developments on the Nature Restoration Law, as well as claiming that Gorman was resingining.
According to a message to IFA national council members from director general Damian McDonald, the fake release appears to have been created by a party outside of the IFA.
The message to national council members said the president is still in office and is on his way to Rome for the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) Congress.
The message to the national council described the incident of the fake press release as “a new low”.
The subsequent confirmation from the organisation today highlighted that all IFA statements are issued from official IFA email accounts, and will also appear on the association’s website, and social media and messaging platforms.
IFA represented at WFO Congress
Gorman is attending the WFO Congress on behalf of the IFA, which began yesterday (June 17) and runs until Friday (June 21).
The event will convene hundreds of farmers from various sectors; farmer organisations; and agricultural cooperatives from across the world.
Other stakeholders in attendance will include government representatives, representatives from academia, scientists, private sector representatives, civil society groups, and financial institutions.
WFO president Arnold Puech d’Alissac said: “We are grateful to FAO for this decision to open its doors to the World Farmers’ Organisation.
“It confirms the importance that we mutually attribute to our partnership, and it offers a chance to family farmers and their organised structures from all over the world to visit the heart of the global political dialogue on food and agriculture,” he added.