Farmers attending the meeting were clear in their views that they do not want to see the introduction of full EID tagging across all sheep.

There was a clear consensus that while EID may have benefits at mart and factory level, it was farmers who once again had to bear the brunt of additional costs of electronic tagging. A number of speakers said that instead of increasing recording requirements, the target should be to take a step back and move to a flock tag to facilitate more straightforward recording for an ageing population of sheep farmers.

Comments from individual speakers are detailed below to give a flavour of issues highlighted.

John Lambert, Ballyroe, Glenbrien, Co Wexford

The tagging options presented tonight favour the factory greatly. Should it (options) not be level to give every seller the chance to go to the mart on the same rule (as factories)? EID tagging in marts and not in factories could have an influence in time – it is very unfair and could drive more people out of marts by giving an unfair bias to factories and reducing competition. It could close every mart in the country.

John Anbridge, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow

This is just adding more expense. We (farmers) are putting in the most effort, getting the least out of it and we are still expected to bear the brunt of the cost.

James Murphy, Inistioge, Co Kilkenny

We as farmers are very vulnerable. We need the Department to stand up for us – we have more bureaucracy and regulations and it is drowning farmers. There is a real challenge for the industry and increased EID tagging is not part of any solution. Farmers are producing top-quality lambs yet we are told we need electronic tagging for access to new markets. The New Zealand flock has no national tagging and is supplying China and the US, so that argument does not stand up to scrutiny. Full EID will add an extra €2m in costs. We should take a step back. We have traceability – every single sheep moved off a farm has a single/individual tag and we are doing what is needed by law. Getting a resolution on the TSE issue and scrapie testing is holding us back more than EID tagging.

Sean Dennehy, Co Cork

EID could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We have courses for spraying, quality assurance audits, cross-compliance and now EID. With a rising age profile, farmers will just walk away from sheep farming. Before long we will have a lower ewe flock and the problem will be maintaining enough produce to supply markets. It should be taking steps to get more people into sheep farming, not drive them away.

James Kehoe, Wexford IFA sheep chair

Farmers’ incomes are already on the floor. We need a ewe payment to help us cover costs and return a viable margin to producers. EID is another hurdle in a long list of obstacles farmers have to overcome. IFA are looking for a €20/head ewe payment. This is vital to support falling incomes and maintain ewe numbers.