The IFA Livestock chair has said supplies of finished cattle are extremely tight, based on the Bord Bia projections and the strong live export trade, which is expected to reduce by almost 100,000 between now and the end of the year.

Declan Hanrahan said beef production is also down in our key markets, the UK and the EU, and this supply demand balance must deliver for Irish and EU beef producers.

“Declining beef production across the UK and the EU is a result of flawed policy decisions on CAP and damaging trade deals that have eroded incomes on suckler and beef farms, also severely undermined confidence in the sector. This will have very serious longer- term consequences for the sector and critically, generational renewal within it,” Declan Hanrahan said.

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“There must be an urgent reset from factories, supermarkets and politicians in how they view and support beef production. Suckler and beef farmers cannot and will not continue to operate at a financial loss.”

Evidence

“The evidence is there for all to see, not only in Ireland but in the UK and the EU, where production continues to fall,” he added.

The preliminary results launched by Teagasc for the 2024 National Farm survey highlight the extent of the income challenges on suckler and beef farms, with the average family farm incomes of €13,547 and €18,101 respectively being the lowest of all sectors. Direct payments contributed 132% of this income on suckler farms in 2024 and 87% on beef farms.

The sector had only just reached prices which reflected the actual costs of production and hit the margins required when the policy makers, factories and supermarkets started to undermine them again. It is “clear from recent figures and projections for the sector, that a more dedicated approach is needed to tackle this issue”.