IFA beef protests at retail outlets will continue indefinitely. This was the message delivered from speakers to 250 farmers at the IFA Beef Challenges meeting held in the Tullamore Court hotel last night (Thursday).

South Leinster Chairman James Murphy said, “Protests have to be carried on; we have no doubt about that. We have to continue (protests) to get where we want to on specifications such as weight and age. We, as farmers, have learned the futilities of fighting against each other. We are now more focused and we won’t rest until we get things (specifications) where we want them to be”.

Earlier in the evening, the IFA organised a protest outside Burger King in Tullamore. Explaining the reasoning behind it, Offaly chairman John Keena said, “There’s an empty seat to my left tonight, there was supposed to be someone here from Kepak and they pulled out so we wanted to send them a message”.  

IFA president Eddie Downey criticised the failure of factory personnel to attend the meeting. “Apart from only man who showed up, Padraig Brown from Dunbia, for which he should be credited for (attended Navan beef meeting), there is no one else from the (meat) industry brave enough or good enough to show up”. Answering calls from the floor to move protests to factory premises Eddie Downey said, “Everything is being considered and nothing is being ruled out. We are not afraid to go to the factory gate but it will be on our circumstances. We have a planned programme for retailers and this can hit factories harder than going to the factory gate”.

He asked all farmers to show voice their anger individually to factories and retailers at next week’s Ploughing Championships. “Farmers are going to go in and eat sandwiches and drink tea and have the craic and then come over and eat the bags out of us. I’m asking you to stick with us – don’t take the tea or the sandwiches (from factory stands), don’t listen to the dealers but do go in and tell them  just how they have affected your family, your income and come up to the IFA tent to show your support”.

Labelling issues

On finding a resolution to the protracted labelling negotiations Eddie Downey said, “I met Tesco to see where we are with the labelling issue. We hope to have an answer tomorrow”. Commenting on the type of label being called for, he said “We do not want an all-Ireland label. Irish beef commands a premium in the EU and we don’t want it to change. What we do want is Irish cattle going North that can be sold North and in the UK."

Libyan prospects

Joe Burke, Bord Bia offered a more positive outlook on the Libyan trade. He said live cattle exports to Libya in recent weeks has been difficult, added to by unrest in the region but said live exports from Spain had resumed and hopefully could open the way for more shipments before the year end.