Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed announced the results of the tender this Wednesday, with seven facilitators approved.

Only two received clearance to help POs with both phases of advice eligible to Government support – category one to advise them on production planning and obtaining a better price for their cattle, and category two to help them draft their statuses and register with the authorities.

These are the IFA a well as Limerick-based Agribusiness and Food Policy Consultants, owned by former ICMSA secretary general Ciaran Dolan.

Teagasc is approved to provide category one advice only, as is Tipperary-based Livestock Internet Services, which is owned by Tim Harty and operates the website Livestock.ie.

Three companies owned by Philip Farrelly also appear on the facilitator list:

  • Ennis-based Clare Consultants and Philip Farrelly & Co in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, are approved for category one only.
  • Farrelly & Scully in Navan, Co Meath, is approved for category two only.
  • Each producer organisation may receive up to €1,500 worth of Department-funded advice from approved facilitators for each of the two categories.

    “The recognition of a producer organisation by my Department allows them to negotiate collectively on behalf of their members with processors for the price they receive for cattle they supply for slaughter,” said Minister Creed. “This is a very important step in allowing primary producers to proactively engage with processors in negotiating the supply and sale price of their cattle.”

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