The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association says it has instigated the campaign as a response to the scandal that only one in four cattle are getting a quality assured bonus even though 90% of all cattle going into meat plants are quality assured.  

According to ICSA president Patrick Kent, “All kinds of spurious reasons such as the 30 months limit, number of movements and residency period, and conformation grades are used to deny farmers bonuses even though they have gone further to deliver quality assurance.”

ICSA is also adamant that there must be proper negotiations around weight and age limits for suckler bull beef.  The chairman of the ICSA suckler committee Dermot Kelleher said, “Unless we have markets for heavier carcases from continental bulls we have no business staying in sucklers.”  

ICSA is hoping for widespread support from the marts because the factories have manipulated the residency and movement conditions to undermine the trade for heavy cattle in the marts.  

Farmers are being asked to sign up with a view to demonstrating that the ultimate sanction of a boycott of Quality Assurance is on the table.  However, ICSA is emphasising that no farmer will be asked to act as an individual.

The strategy is to get thousands of farmers signed up first to help build pressure on retailers and factories.  Under no circumstances will the list of names be shown to factories or Bord Bia.  Instead a neutral and confidential auditor will be appointed to confirm the numbers.

ICSA is urging all farmers to come together and stand up and fight.  The association welcomes support from all farm organisations to help with the campaign.