Factory clipping charges under the Clean Livestock Policy (CLP) show a degree of variation across the main sheepmeat export plants, an Irish Farmers Journal survey has found.
Processors were asked if they had charges in place for clipping and if so, what they were for lambs falling into category A, B or C as classified under the CLP.
Charges
Moyvalley in Kildare has no charges in place under any category for the clipping of lambs or sheep.
No information was provided for Irish Country Meats’ plants in Navan, Co Meath and Camolin, Co Wexford.
Kepak Athleague, Dawn Ballyhaunis and Kildare Chilling don’t charge for lambs deemed satisfactory and classified as category A.
Category B lambs which are termed acceptable with additional dressing before slaughter are not charged for by Kildare Chilling.
Dawn has a 20c/head charge for the clipping of category B lambs while Kepak charges 25c per head.
Category C
Category C lambs cannot be accepted for slaughter without further intervention as they pose a serious risk of contamination to the food chain. These lambs are not accepted for slaughter in Kepak.
Dawn charges 40c/head to carry out controls allowing the category C lambs to be slaughtered.
When lambs present for slaughter in Kildare Chilling which fall into Category C, farmers have the option to take these lambs home and perform corrective action themselves, or pay Kildare €2/head.
“Any fees or charges collected by a food business operator [factory] are a commercial matter between the supplier [farmer] and the food processor,” a Department of Agriculture spokesperson said.
One in five sheep falling foul of the clean livestock policy