Meat factories are being urged to immediately implement terms of the beef agreement, including an increase in the in-spec payment, as protests across the country have been called to a halt.
The Beef Plan Movement stated that the final protesters had left Ballinasloe last night after consultation with TDs Michael Fitzmaurice and Anne Rabitte.
“The Beef Plant Movement is requesting that meat processors immediately implement the additional 8c/kg bonuses for steers and heifers for both under and over 30 months of age,” the group said.
“The beef task force must also be set up now to ensure that issues occurring in the beef industry are openly discussed.
“The Beef Plan Movement also wants the immediate review of the beef grid to take place.”
Bonus
IFA president Joe Healy called on factories to come forward with a strong base price and also implement all the terms of the agreement.
These include:
We feel this task force is the key element of the proposal as it will be the police force of the agreement
Independent Farmer of Ireland, the group represented the farmers who remained at factory gates last week, thanked protesters for their work.
The group said it was “happy to step down” once the beef task force, which was agreed in talks, was implemented.
“We feel this task force is the key element of the proposal as it will be the police force of the agreement,” they said.
The group also addressed criticism of its work.
“With regards to a vocal group who are unhappy with the negotiated proposal and are calling for our immediate removal due to this unhappiness, we say we were elected to perform a task, to negotiate on 11 points and we feel this was what we succeeded in doing,” it said.
The expectation is that the legal action facing a number of farmers for taking part in the protest, including Beef Plan co-chair Hugh Doyle, will be dropped.
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