Farmers taking part in the Beef Summit organised by the Irish Farmers Journal in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, this week said industry leaders who addressed them had not brightened up their immediate or longer-term future.

"My son is telling me to sell," said Terry Heany, suckler and beef farmer in Claremorris, Co Mayo.

"The future for the young farmer is zero as far as I can see."

Terry farms part-time and is resisting the urge to stop. "It's my joy," he said.

But to continue into the future, farm payments would need to be calculated in a different way, he added.

With stocking rates multiplied by five on his farm since his reference year, his costs have gone up, but his basic payment has not.

This should be reviewed "at least every two years" he said.

Merchants and retailers

Ballinasloe suckler and sheep farmer Kevin Burke said he was hoping for a €200/head suckler payment and a fair price from the Minister and the beef factory representatives speaking at the Beef Summit, but he was disappointed.

On price, he said: "We're not going to get €5, but if we got the same as last year, which was €4.50, we'd be happy with that."

Kevin also regretted the absence of grain and fertiliser merchants, as well as retailers, at the event.

"They're cleaning us off as well," he said.

While feed prices went up during last year's drought, he remarked that the improvement in the weather since then has not resulted in lower prices.

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