With the critical autumn weanling and store trade just around the corner, farmers could be set to receive a boost as a solution to the beef labelling issue around nomad cattle has been tabled. Nomad refers to cattle born in the south and finished or slaughtered in the United Kingdom.

A proposal has been negotiated between the IFA and three major processors over the creation of an All-Ireland label for beef sold in Britain.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that at least one of the processors has received assurances from a major British retailer that it would be willing to stock the Irish label. Beef produced for this label would contain meat from nomad cattle.

It is understood that the major retail chain will not proceed until political endorsement is achieved from the Department of Agriculture in Dublin.

IFA president Eddie Downey is urging Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to remove trade roadblocks immediately.

“There is an onus on the Minister to grasp the opportunity before the autumn store cattle sales,” Downey said.

“Minister Coveney must immediately prioritise this issue in order to deliver a solution ahead of the autumn cattle trade at livestock marts where Northern Ireland buyers play a very significant role. The urgency around this issue cannot be over-emphasised,” Downey added.

Because Northern Ireland is part of the UK it is compulsory under European Union labelling rules, cattle born in the Republic, and sold to a Northern Irish finisher must be labelled as ‘Born in Ireland; Reared in Ireland / UK; Slaughtered in UK’. This must be carried somewhere on the label. However, this would not be a barrier to use in an overall All-Ireland brand.

Each year, approximately 50,000 cattle are exported from the Republic to Northern Ireland, with 50% being classed as high quality animals.

Ireland exports 250,000 tonnes of carcase weight beef to Britain, a third of which ends up on retail shelves. Three of the four main retailers in Britain stock Irish beef, namely Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s.

According to Ray Doyle (ICOS), the current impasse caused by labelling issues has decimated the live export trade to NI. “Year to date, this trade for high quality weanlings from the suckler herd is back 90% and is an extremely serious situation for suckler farmers who are already under pressure.”

“A solution is required and Minister Coveney must act on this,” said Ray.