Carcase trim monitoring

IFA national livestock chair Angus Woods said Department of Agriculture technical officers will monitor carcase trim in the meat factories on behalf of farmers on a constant daily basis from later this year. He said: “The IFA has been demanding increased monitoring on carcase trim and classification for some time and we welcome this move by Minister Creed and the Department.”

GLAS derogations

IFA rural development chair Joe Brady said that Minister Creed must demand an immediate answer from Brussels in relation to allowing GLAS farmers to receive derogations on certain GLAS measures to get additional fodder. An all-out effort is required to ensure that there are no barriers in place and that GLAS farmers are allowed to maximise fodder conservation.

Launch of suckler paper

IFA president Joe Healy launched the IFA-commissioned economic report on the importance of the suckler cow at the Tullamore Show last Sunday. The report was prepared by Prof Thia Hennessy, UCC, as part of the campaign to increase support for the suckler cow. The study highlights the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. Full details can be found on www.ifa.ie