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The review of the beef grid must reflect dairy expansion, according to the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) Edmond Phelan.
“Factories are cleaning up on deductions on lower grade cattle because of the increasing numbers of lower grade cattle since the grid was introduced 10 years ago.
“The dairy expansion has caused this, and the grid must reflect these changes,” he said ahead of Monday’s beef talks in Backweston.
He said the grid needs to be simplified.
“There is no question that better bonuses can be paid for U grades as well as R+ grades without any further deductions on lower grade cattle.
“The grid was devised to be price-neutral. However, the fact that the grid is no longer price-neutral is clear for all to see,” he said.
Round two
Farmers, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and officials from the Department of Agriculture are at the Department’s Backweston campus for a second round of talks on the beef industry. Talks resumed at 11am.
On Monday of last week, talks went on for over 12 hours at the facility.
The first round of talks resulted in MII committing to weigh cattle before the kill line at factories and to provide written agreements to farmers on quotes and kill dates.
If a farmer wants stock to be weighed at the factory before the kill line and wants a written contract, the farmer will have to request that.
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