Joe Healy told the Beef Forum that Ireland must actively pursue EU regulation to rebalance power in the food chain.
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IFA president Joe Healy told Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and the meat factories that the income crisis on livestock farms must be addressed and profitable beef farming is essential for the development of the Irish beef sector. Healy was speaking at a meeting of the beef forum last week. The IFA president said: “Growing output alone, without improving incomes on livestock farms, is an unsustainable strategy for the Irish beef sector.”
He made it clear to the meat factories that beef prices must rise. Based on the cost of production, Teagasc has shown that on our most efficient farms, a price of at least €4/kg is needed for grass beef and €4.50/kg for winter beef. The IFA president called on Minister Creed and the Government to mount a strong response at national and EU level to the challenge from Brexit. He said that the collapse in beef prices, blamed on Brexit, is a market disturbance under CAP, similar to the Russian ban, and justifies direct action by the European Commission.
Healy said: “With the forecast for an additional 100,000 head of cattle next year, additional market outlets and a strong live export trade are essential for competition and to support market balance and viable prices. He called on the Department of Agriculture to increase resources and dedicated personnel on market access and to prioritise the live trade. In addition, he said the minister must work to remove the barriers on the live trade to Northern Ireland and Britain. The IFA president said direct support for the suckler herd must be increased to €200 per cow in order to maintain our important quality beef herd.
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Healy told the beef forum that Ireland must actively pursue EU regulation to rebalance power in the food chain and ensure a fairer share-out of returns from consumers.
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IFA president Joe Healy told Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and the meat factories that the income crisis on livestock farms must be addressed and profitable beef farming is essential for the development of the Irish beef sector. Healy was speaking at a meeting of the beef forum last week. The IFA president said: “Growing output alone, without improving incomes on livestock farms, is an unsustainable strategy for the Irish beef sector.”
He made it clear to the meat factories that beef prices must rise. Based on the cost of production, Teagasc has shown that on our most efficient farms, a price of at least €4/kg is needed for grass beef and €4.50/kg for winter beef. The IFA president called on Minister Creed and the Government to mount a strong response at national and EU level to the challenge from Brexit. He said that the collapse in beef prices, blamed on Brexit, is a market disturbance under CAP, similar to the Russian ban, and justifies direct action by the European Commission.
Healy said: “With the forecast for an additional 100,000 head of cattle next year, additional market outlets and a strong live export trade are essential for competition and to support market balance and viable prices. He called on the Department of Agriculture to increase resources and dedicated personnel on market access and to prioritise the live trade. In addition, he said the minister must work to remove the barriers on the live trade to Northern Ireland and Britain. The IFA president said direct support for the suckler herd must be increased to €200 per cow in order to maintain our important quality beef herd.
Healy told the beef forum that Ireland must actively pursue EU regulation to rebalance power in the food chain and ensure a fairer share-out of returns from consumers.
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