Comments made by Meat Industry Ireland (MII) in the Dáil on Thursday 13 August suggesting that delays in COVID testing could impact prices paid to farmers are inflammatory and wrong, IFA president Tim Cullinan has said.

“While it is clear that we need quicker COVID test results, to link this with prices to farmers is unacceptable. This is typical of the factories, they will use any excuse to cut prices to farmers.”

Already struggling

The IFA has said that it is important to keep the supply chain open, but it cannot be done by passing costs back to farmers.

Cullinan continued: “Farmers are already struggling to make ends meet and this threat by MII at yesterday’s Oireachtas Committee hearing is unacceptable.

“Public health must be the priority at all times. Farmers have been working around the clock to keep the food supply chain open. The beef barons will have to take less profits in 2020, rather than playing workers against farmers.”

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