The Beef Market Taskforce is scheduled to meet today, Tuesday 3 December, for the first time since it was established in September.

Independent chair Michael Dowling will be joined by representatives from six farm organisations, Teagasc, Bord Bia, ICBF, ICOS, the Department of Agriculture and Meat Industry Ireland (MII).

The six farm organisations which will be represented at the meeting are ICMSA, ICSA, IFA, INHFA, Macra na Ferime and the Beef Plan Movement.

Today’s meeting, which begins at 9am, will focus on the terms of reference for the taskforce and dealing with its work programme, which has 37 actions.

Terms

The terms of reference, seen by the Irish Farmers Journal state: “The Beef Market Taskforce's remit is to monitor the implementation of the actions arising from the agreement on 15 September.”

The agreement was struck after weeks of farmer protests at factory gates. However, the first scheduled meeting of the taskforce in October was cancelled following protests outside the Department of Agriculture during which MII staff were prevented from entering the building.

The terms of reference document states: “The taskforce will provide for a robust implementation structure for commitments entered into in this agreement, with timelines and stakeholder engagement.”

It says the taskforce will also offer a platform for engagement with key stakeholders including retailers and regulatory authorities.

Progress

It is envisaged that the Beef Market Taskforce will meet quarterly for a period of one year, after which its progress will be reviewed.

Following a delay of several weeks, the lifting of injunctions against two farmers who protested outside C&D Foods, a pet food plant in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, has paved the way for the taskforce to begin its work.