Speaking at the Beef Forum in Dublin last week, IFA president Eddie Downey told the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney that the Government announcements on new beef markets to the US and China must be turned into real delivery and increased exports.

The main focus of discussion at last week’s forum was the need to take action on removing the technical obstacles holding back exports to these new markets in order to deal with increased cattle numbers in the pipeline for 2017 and to prevent a repeat of the severe beef price and income problems of 2014.

The IFA president said that it was very clear from the Forum that a lot more work needs to be done in getting more beef plants approved for exports to the US.

The Forum heard that Ireland is still working on clearance for manufacturing beef exports to the US.

However, Minister Coveney told the Forum he is confident of delivering access in the next number of months.

The IFA also pushed the Minister on a number of other important issues, including increasing the age limit for prime cattle from 30 to 36 months, increased monitoring of carcase trim at the meat plants, more live exports, market transparency and using the Department AIMS system to count relevant residencies.

IFA National Livestock Committee chair Henry Burns said it is clear from Bord Bia figures presented at the Forum that cattle supplies at the factories will remain tight for at least the next 12 months and the supply situation in our main export market in the UK is somewhat similar.

In addition, he said the strength of sterling and price returns from the UK are also very positive.