Macra na Feirme has said that a beef finisher scheme is needed urgently to give certainty to farmers finishing cattle, as they now question the feasibility of purchasing cattle this spring.

Macra has called for this urgency on the back of the significant increase in input costs and the expected continued rise in prices for feed and fertiliser.

Macra said that beef finishers are "once again facing an uncertain future".

Farmers are making decisions over the next number of weeks in terms of purchasing cattle that will be either finished off grass this summer and autumn or finished from the shed next winter, it said.

'Certainty'

Macra national president John Keane said: "In order to give certainty to these farmers, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue must now fund a beef finisher scheme similar to that which was implemented in 2020 and funded under the COVID-19 State Aid Temporary Framework."

Given the uncertainty around the war in Ukraine and the potential impacts on food security and the supply chain, Keane said that continuance action is needed now for this cohort of farmers, who for years have been operating in negative margins.

"We are in unprecedented times and action is required by the Minister for Agriculture.

"The Minister has given a commitment to act to help and assist Irish farmers. This is a key action that benefits the beef finisher, who in turn supports farmers back along the supply chain," added Keane.

Macra feels that a scheme with a similar structure to the one introduced in 2020 is required, with a doubling of support for beef finishers.

A €200/head payment is required to meet the rising input costs experienced by this group of crucial farmers in the food supply chain, according to Macra.