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The IFA has put forward proposals for aid to private storage market support for beef and direct payment supports for beef farmers.
IFA livestock chair Brendan Golden said Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski could not continue to ignore the beef crisis in Ireland.
Minister Creed has been called on to make the unspent €24m in Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) money available in the form of a direct payment to farmers selling cattle, pending a more comprehensive EU package.
“The Minister can do this immediately. The EU Commission has specifically instructed Member States to re-allocate unused funds,” Golden said.
Imports
At EU level, the IFA has called for a halt to non-EU beef imports, which amounted to 318,500t last year.
“Up to 80% of these imports are coming from Mercosur countries like Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay and are made up of steak cuts destined for the EU food service market,” Golden stressed.
“These outlets are closed because of COVID-19 restrictions and non-EU imports should be suspended.”
In the export-orientated Irish beef sector, 30% of the value of carcases is made up of steak cuts. Approximately 60% of these cuts are sold to the food service sector which is closed as a result of COVID-19.
The IFA said such closures are disproportionately affecting the Irish beef price and farm incomes.
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