Minister Coveney met with the IFA earlier today to discuss the current issues in the beef sector.

Speaking after the meeting, the Minister said the meeting focussed in particular in relation to the strict application of market specifications, which is impacting on the price farmers are receiving for heavier cattle.

The Minister acknowledged that beef farmers had legitimate concerns in this regard. “There is no doubt that impact of price penalties for heavier animals is felt, most acutely, by some of our most commercial beef farmers, who have bred stock for high feed conversion efficiency.”

“Processors need to keep efficient beef specialists in this vital export industry, and every effort should be made to ensure that this sector is developed and nurtured. It is acknowledged that specifications in our most lucrative markets include a weight component, and this is something that cannot be ignored.”

“There is an immediacy to the pressure on beef farmers at present however, and farmers in any sector need time to adjust to changed market circumstances. Farmers and processors now need to step up their engagement on these complex issues.”

Weight specifications

“In the meantime I think it would certainly be helpful if the industry showed as much flexibility as possible on weight specification in the short term. This would allow a window for the kind of constructive engagement between the parties on both immediate and strategic issues that is essential if the sector is to develop to its potential”, said the Minister.

Following the meeting, IFA President Eddie Downey said he made it very clear that livestock farmers are angry and frustrated over the way their incomes have been cut this year by price and specification cuts.

“The Minister said he fully understands the anger of livestock farmers over what has happened in the beef sector and he is working hard to bring forward solutions.”

Mr Downey said the Minister outlined that he will get directly involved and will play a central role in discussions between factories and farmers to resolve the current problems. The Minister said he expects the processing industry to respond positively to the key issues around the Quality Payment System and specifications to suit the Irish beef sector.

Tesco

IFA National Livestock chairman Henry Burns said Minister Coveney told the IFA he is meeting Tesco today to progress a solution to the Northern Ireland branding issue. The IFA Livestock leader said the Minister has to remove the roadblocks impeding the live export trade to our nearest market in North. He said IFA has worked hard to progress branding solutions on this issue and these have now been approved by the Department of Agriculture in the North.

The Minister and his Department is due to meet with the IFA again next week.

See this week's Irish Farmers Journal for full analysis.