IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell has said Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and his officials must resolve the fallen animals dispute, adding that farmers should not be used as pawns in the argument.
“The responsibility rests with the minister to ensure farmers are provided with the means to have fallen animals removed in a timely and cost-efficient manner from their farms,” he said.
He criticised the minister for advising farmers how to store animals on their farms, saying that it is an inappropriate response to a critical issue at the busiest time of year.
They must put measures in place that ensure farmers are not held to ransom in a dispute between the Department and service providers
“Minister Creed and his officials must, as a matter of urgency, move to have all fallen animals removed from farms. They must put measures in place that ensure farmers are not held to ransom in a dispute between the Department and service providers, which has its origins in Department of Agriculture inaction and poor decision-making on this issue over a number of years.”
Issues such as the removal of the 125km maximum distance requirement in the TSE subsidy scheme would remove significant costs from the disposal of fallen animals, according to Farrell. He said the IFA has spoken with the knackery association and has offered support to resolve the impasse, but collections must resume. He labelled the stopping of collections “a reckless action at the most critical time of year on farms”.
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Farmers advised to store fallen animals as knackeries strike
IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell has said Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and his officials must resolve the fallen animals dispute, adding that farmers should not be used as pawns in the argument.
“The responsibility rests with the minister to ensure farmers are provided with the means to have fallen animals removed in a timely and cost-efficient manner from their farms,” he said.
He criticised the minister for advising farmers how to store animals on their farms, saying that it is an inappropriate response to a critical issue at the busiest time of year.
They must put measures in place that ensure farmers are not held to ransom in a dispute between the Department and service providers
“Minister Creed and his officials must, as a matter of urgency, move to have all fallen animals removed from farms. They must put measures in place that ensure farmers are not held to ransom in a dispute between the Department and service providers, which has its origins in Department of Agriculture inaction and poor decision-making on this issue over a number of years.”
Issues such as the removal of the 125km maximum distance requirement in the TSE subsidy scheme would remove significant costs from the disposal of fallen animals, according to Farrell. He said the IFA has spoken with the knackery association and has offered support to resolve the impasse, but collections must resume. He labelled the stopping of collections “a reckless action at the most critical time of year on farms”.
Read more
Knackeries seek emergency meeting with Department
Farmers being used as pawns by knackeries
Farmers advised to store fallen animals as knackeries strike
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