Goodman plants named as poorest beef payers

By Des Maguire and Paul Mooney

Larry Goodman's A.I.B.P. plants were named by the IFA this week as being the lowest paying factories for R4H bullocks in the country.

The accusation came as cattle prices fell for the seventh consecutive week.

In a "name and shame" exercise, outing the five lowest paying meat factories in the country, IFA livestock chairman Derek Deane said it was clear from the official Department of Agriculture reported prices that Goodman group factories were leading the price charge downwards against cattle farmers.

He said an analysis of R4H prices for the week ending July 26th showed three of the Goodman plants in the five lowest price paying factories.

The lowest price was paid by AIBP Bandon, followed by AIBP Clones, Dawn Ballyhaunis, Honeycover Freshford and AIBP Waterford.

For last week (w/e Saturday August 3rd) the official Department figures again show three Goodman plants among the five lowest paying factories.

Last week the lowest paying factory was Fair Oak Foods, Clonmel, followed by AIBP Bandon, AIBP Waterford, AIBP Nenagh and Honeyclover Freshford.

The IFA's livestock committee and president John Dillon held an emergency meeting in Abbeyleix this week to consider what further action is needed to secure the target price of 90p per lb. With prices continuing to fall, pressure is mounting from the counties for direct action to be taken against the factories.

The IFA's livestock committee has decided to publish the names of the lowest paying factories each week to maintain pressure for better prices.

Derek Deane said the deliberate and unnecessary action of the meat plants in pulling back prices was inviting an angry farmer response.

"This is the seventh week in a row that they have pulled prices, forcing down returns by 7p per lb or €68 a head to farmers," he said. "Yet during the same period cattle prices in the UK, our major export market have remained rock solid with R grades at the equivalent of 102p per lb and O grades at 96.5p per lb," he said.

The Co. Carlow beef committee chairman said the silence of the Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh on the cattle price issue was deafening. Cattle farmers could not understand why the Minister remained totally silent while the factories slashed prices weekly, he said.

He called for strong action from the Minister to "stop the rot" on cattle prices at factory level.

He said that prior to the general election Minister Walsh was on the airwaves every day on reopening markets, particularly Egypt.

"Now that the election is over it would appear that the Minister has completely forgotten about cattle prices and livestock farmers. He is standing idly by and allowing the factories fleece farmers for €68 per head."