Last week Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle told the Irish Farmers Journal that he was open to the idea of a levy on beef farmers in order to advance research in the sector. Similar levies are already in use in the dairy, tillage and pig sectors. Professor Boyle said levies have been working well in these sectors.

However, IFA president Eddie Downey said Professor Boyle was merely “kite flying” and rejected the possibility out of hand.

“It is not credible to suggest that a levy is necessary to drive beef research and innovation in Teagasc when it already receives a direct state aid from the Government of €130m each year. I fail to understand how this levy would, as suggested by Gerry Boyle, sharpen oversight in Teagasc relating to beef,” Downey said.

Downey, who served on the board of Teagasc while deputy president of the IFA, argued that livestock farmers already pay more to Teagasc than any other sector as well as that it receives additional state funding for the beef and sheep technology and adaption programmes (BTAP and STAP).

Downey concluded by saying that the IFA will requesting Professor Boyle to appear before its next executive council to explain his thinking on a beef levy.