Beef farmers are incurring huge losses, with many now on the brink of collapse. With factories again moving to pull prices over the last 24 to 48 hours and cattle being sold off, farms are dying in debt to the tune of €200 to €300 per head.

There has been no shortage of chest beating, promises around the potential for new markets and kite-flying of undeveloped compensation packages

In some cases, farmers are now receiving €100 to €150 per head less than last year for the same animal.

The lower prices coincide with a significant increase in production costs, due to higher concentrate and forage costs.

Severe economic pressure

But despite the severe economic pressure facing beef farmers, the response at all levels has been, at best, muted.

There is a point at which a crisis moves beyond merely issuing statements and holding meetings to lament the problem.

There has been no shortage of chest beating, promises around the potential for new markets and kite-flying of undeveloped compensation packages this spring. But the reality is nothing has been delivered.

Farm organisations

Given the severity of the situation on the ground, it is time for farm organisations and those claiming to represent the interests of farmers to stop talking and take action.

Farmers need to force both the Government and the European Commission to accept that as the charade of Brexit plays out, farmers on the ground are caught in the crossfire of highly volatile exchange rates and severe disruption to normalised trade flows.

It is clear that beef factories are simply passing the cost of both directly on to farmers.

Reassurance

Both the Government and the Commission have repeatedly reassured farmers that the tools available under the Common Market Orientation (CMO) exist to protect the income of farmers whatever the Brexit outcome.

However, what is becoming clearer is that Brexit is not going to be a definitive event, but instead continuous disruptive process that could last years.

It would be both illogical and disingenuous for the Government and the Commission not to accept that the cost of this prolonged and disruptive process is already being passed back on to beef farmers and crippling their income.

Stop hiding

It is time for both parties stop hiding behind the Brexit event before implementing the tools under the CMO.

Farmers selling cattle today at a loss of €300 per head and €150 per head less than last year are seeing their incomes battered by the disruption caused by the Brexit process.

The immediate option open to the Government at present is to trigger an aid package to farmers under the De Minimis regulation, which would allow the Minister to provide emergency compensation to farmers up to a value of €25,000.

While in many ways a sticky plaster, it would provide some breathing space for beef finishers who are haemorrhaging money at present.

These farmers don’t need more lofty statements or feel-good reassurances - they need immediate action from all parties if they are to survive this spring.

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