The Beef Plan Movement appears to have rejected further talks between industry stakeholders in a letter written to Minister Creed and seen by the Irish Farmers Journal.

Beef Plan negotiator Eoin Donnelly said the “entrenched position” of Meat Industry Ireland (MII) on in-spec bonus criteria meant further talks would be “of little benefit at this time”, even with direct involvement of the Minister.

Donnelly said Beef Plan had to reject the final conclusion of the talks due to the lack of progress on the 30-month age limit for steers and heifers, the four-movement rule and the 70-day residency restriction.

“These issues are of fundamental importance to our members, as they are widely considered to be the key unfair trading practices that are used to manipulate the market,” Donnelly said.

Price talks

The letter also stated that further talks with other farm organisations which “are intent on talking about price per kg”, something the Beef Plan said the Minster could not do, would only frustrate all involved.

Donnelly said such a course of action would not be recommended.

He proposed full and open disclosure on the retail specification that processors were “asked to enforce on farmers”.

We recommend that at first all Irish retailers and significant Irish based fast food outlets ... declare publicly what their specifications are

The information provided by Bord Bia at the talks was “discredited” and would have no standing with Beef Plan members, according to Donnelly.

“To that end, we recommend that at first all Irish retailers and significant Irish-based fast food outlets that purchase large volumes of Irish beef be asked to declare publicly what their specifications are on the three attributes of age, movement and residency and, more importantly, why such a specification is required.

“Unless there is what would be considered by a reasonable person to be a rational and plausible reason for the specification, the specification will be considered by our members as nothing more than an unfair trading practice,” Donnelly said.

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Further beef talks ‘of little benefit’ – Beef Plan

Beef Plan negotiator Eoin Donnelly said the lack of movement from the meat industry on age limits, movements and residencies meant further talks would be of little benefit.