The ABP group is introducing a new price grid in England which imposes a £1 sterling/ kg cut for farmers who have non-UK stock origin in their herd. In a statement the ICSA said this change is a "blatant attempt by retailers and processors to kill off any prospects of live exports and the motivation is to keep farmers in chains.”

UK retailers have claimed that UK consumers cannot understand or accept cattle reared in Ireland, finished in England, the statement said. "Where is the independent consumer research to back up this claim?” Phelan asked. “Consumers in Italy, who can hardly be described as less discerning than British consumers, have no difficulty. Hence we have live exports to Italy. It is clear that ICSA’s success in getting a live route opened by Stena to the UK has caused concern among beef processors who are doing everything in their power to close live exports.”

Phelan said it is clear that Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney needs to take a very strong line on this: "It is absolutely futile to be out in Africa or anywhere else trying to open new markets for beef when the processors are trying to take away any prospect of a reasonable margin for cattle producers in this country.”

The ICSA is now calling on the Minister to suspend all efforts to open up new markets for beef and to instead concentrate on opening up as many live export markets as possible. "It is an embarrassment to see a Minister working so hard for beef factories when they are showing such contempt for the livelihoods of ordinary farmers here,” Phelan said.

The statement added that the ICSA has already attended meetings in Brussels to find solutions to this labelling issue and will continue to work to find a way through the impasse: "It is clear that country of origin labelling for beef is being misused in a way not envisaged by legislators. It again shows the need for robust regulation of the food chain at EU level. The EU Commission must face up to the fact that the Single European Market is being circumvented by greedy retailers. Free movement of goods is a fundamental principle of the European Union; the question now is whether our Government and Brussels are going to stand idly by and allow it to be destroyed by greed.”

ABP reaction

In response to the ICSA's claims ABP have issued a statement to the Farmers Journal which reads:

"ABP refutes the allegations from the ICSA regarding the introduction of new terms and conditions for non-British origin cattle in the UK. The terms and conditions referenced by the ICSA regarding non British cattle have not changed and have been in place for the last number of years. ABP UK is the first beef processor in the UK to invest in VIA mechanical grading. This science based system has been in operation throughout Europe for a number of years now. It has been in place in Southern Ireland since 2004 and in Northern Ireland since 2010.The new grading process is part of ABP’s ongoing commitment to rewarding in spec quality cattle as preferred by our customers."