With new changes coming down the track on the way licensed medicines are sold to farmers, we spoke to some farmers and people in the industry about what the changes will mean for them.
The proposed changes include the requirement for a farmer to have a veterinary prescription to purchase dosing products. Before this, a designated Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) person working in an agricultural merchants was able to sell these products to farmers.
Farmers and agricultural merchants have reacted angrily to the proposed changes, stating that taking competition out of the sector is bad for farmers.
They say an SQP should be able to advise farmers on the best products to use, like they have done in the past.
Pat Farrell, beef farmer and animal health chairman, IFA
Pat Farrell.
“The Department of Agriculture cannot stand over the creation of a two-tier supply system on the island of Ireland that puts farmers here at a competitive disadvantage and jeopardises the future viability of licensed merchant stores and veterinary pharmacies who play a crucial role in supporting farmers and rural economies.
“The task for the Minister for Agriculture and our MEPs is to have the unique situation on the island of Ireland recognised by facilitating the prescribing of these products by suitably qualified persons.”
William Gibson, agricultural merchant, Co Donegal
William Gibson.
“I fear for my business here in Donegal. Jobs will be lost in rural Ireland because of this. Smuggling and racketeering will be rife if this goes through.
“There will be vanloads of product purchased in the North and sold under the radar in the south and where will we be then in terms of responsible use. I have no problem sending my staff on a course like the Teagasc green cert, it doesn’t matter what it costs.
“There is a very good system in the UK where people are trained by an approved body like Teagasc and each year they have to do a refresher course on the current science and legislation. That’s what should be done here and the competition in the market stays.”
Hugh Doyle, beef and sheep farmer, Trim, Co Meath
Hugh Doyle.
“I think the proposed changes are wrong and it’s a bad move by the Department of Agriculture to do this. If I walk into my local vet to get dosing, nine times out of 10, the vet isn’t there so I get it from one of the office staff.
“Will I have to wait until the vet comes to get my dosing in the future? My merchant has access to a vet on the phone and I’ve often asked him to check things for me.
“Europe have said they will leave it to national governments to deicide the way the system works so it’s up to the Department to come up with a suitable plan.”
Michael McNally, beef farmer, Summerhill, Co Meath
Michael McNally.
“This is a dangerous road to be heading down. We’ve seen corporate structures take over vet practices in the UK and it’s starting to happen here. These companies are driven by profits and they push sales of product to generate more profit.
“How responsible is it to put licensed medicines in their control? Under these changes, if a farmer goes to a vet, they either pay the vet for the product or pay the vet for a prescription to buy the product elsewhere.
“This is putting extra time and money on the farmer and it’s the people on the ground that will lose out.”
Conor Geraghty, vet and president of Veterinary Ireland, Co Galway
Conor Geraty.
“The way I see it is you need three things available to you to make a decision on dosing on your farm. You need to know the farm and farmer, have data to back your decision or advice up and be working to a health plan.
“In my mind the vet is best placed to do this. We are seeing more and more anthelminthic resistance every year and the current model isn’t working. Vets will have a lot of changes to make to their business to make the current proposals work.
“There’s a responsibility associated with writing a prescription and we need to be aware of that. Responsible use is the way forward.”
With new changes coming down the track on the way licensed medicines are sold to farmers, we spoke to some farmers and people in the industry about what the changes will mean for them.
The proposed changes include the requirement for a farmer to have a veterinary prescription to purchase dosing products. Before this, a designated Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) person working in an agricultural merchants was able to sell these products to farmers.
Farmers and agricultural merchants have reacted angrily to the proposed changes, stating that taking competition out of the sector is bad for farmers.
They say an SQP should be able to advise farmers on the best products to use, like they have done in the past.
Pat Farrell, beef farmer and animal health chairman, IFA
Pat Farrell.
“The Department of Agriculture cannot stand over the creation of a two-tier supply system on the island of Ireland that puts farmers here at a competitive disadvantage and jeopardises the future viability of licensed merchant stores and veterinary pharmacies who play a crucial role in supporting farmers and rural economies.
“The task for the Minister for Agriculture and our MEPs is to have the unique situation on the island of Ireland recognised by facilitating the prescribing of these products by suitably qualified persons.”
William Gibson, agricultural merchant, Co Donegal
William Gibson.
“I fear for my business here in Donegal. Jobs will be lost in rural Ireland because of this. Smuggling and racketeering will be rife if this goes through.
“There will be vanloads of product purchased in the North and sold under the radar in the south and where will we be then in terms of responsible use. I have no problem sending my staff on a course like the Teagasc green cert, it doesn’t matter what it costs.
“There is a very good system in the UK where people are trained by an approved body like Teagasc and each year they have to do a refresher course on the current science and legislation. That’s what should be done here and the competition in the market stays.”
Hugh Doyle, beef and sheep farmer, Trim, Co Meath
Hugh Doyle.
“I think the proposed changes are wrong and it’s a bad move by the Department of Agriculture to do this. If I walk into my local vet to get dosing, nine times out of 10, the vet isn’t there so I get it from one of the office staff.
“Will I have to wait until the vet comes to get my dosing in the future? My merchant has access to a vet on the phone and I’ve often asked him to check things for me.
“Europe have said they will leave it to national governments to deicide the way the system works so it’s up to the Department to come up with a suitable plan.”
Michael McNally, beef farmer, Summerhill, Co Meath
Michael McNally.
“This is a dangerous road to be heading down. We’ve seen corporate structures take over vet practices in the UK and it’s starting to happen here. These companies are driven by profits and they push sales of product to generate more profit.
“How responsible is it to put licensed medicines in their control? Under these changes, if a farmer goes to a vet, they either pay the vet for the product or pay the vet for a prescription to buy the product elsewhere.
“This is putting extra time and money on the farmer and it’s the people on the ground that will lose out.”
Conor Geraghty, vet and president of Veterinary Ireland, Co Galway
Conor Geraty.
“The way I see it is you need three things available to you to make a decision on dosing on your farm. You need to know the farm and farmer, have data to back your decision or advice up and be working to a health plan.
“In my mind the vet is best placed to do this. We are seeing more and more anthelminthic resistance every year and the current model isn’t working. Vets will have a lot of changes to make to their business to make the current proposals work.
“There’s a responsibility associated with writing a prescription and we need to be aware of that. Responsible use is the way forward.”
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