Since the FRS Member Benefit Scheme (MBS) was launched in 2013, over €1.2m has been paid out to protect farm families affected by accident or sickness. The scheme is one of many innovations initiated by the National Co-operative Farm Relief Services, the farmer-owned co-op established in 1980 for provision of skilled labour.
The farmer-designed scheme has apparently worked well for farms in Ireland, the overwhelming majority of which are owner-operated family farms. Without such scheme, if the farm owner cannot work their income is not protected if no-one is available to continue the operation of the farm after the farmer’s injury or illness.
Over 1,200 farmers were signed up to MBS by 2020. Some €1.23m has been paid out in benefit, on approximately €2.05m of invoiced services to farmers, since the scheme’s inception in 2013.
This benefit was paid out to 405 farming beneficiaries who relied on this innovative protection to ensure that their business could continue to operate effectively in the event of an accident or sickness of the main family farm operator.
This Irish venture was one of the recent finalists for Cogeca’s European Award for Cooperative Innovation, which recognises outstanding co-operative innovation in the EU’s agriculture, food, fishery and forestry sectors.
The scheme has been praised by some for enabling a farmer to focus on his/her recovery knowing that their farm is in safe hands.