DEAR SIR: I’m writing with reference to the article “Angus society and producer group cut ties” in the Irish Farmers Journal (5 June 2021).

I am very unimpressed with the Irish Farmers Journal in its coverage of the topic which us Angus breeders have been aware of for some time. Albeit, not officially.

We have had no contact from our society with regard to this and I thought a paper of the Irish Farmers Journal’s standing would have all the happenings on a weekly basis.

This certainly isn’t the case with a small corner on page 14 recently being the first acknowledgment of the issue.

The producer group has been a key promoter of Angus beef which has, in turn, increased the demand for Angus stock from producers such as myself.

To “cut ties”, as your article suggests, could be detrimental to further growth of the breed in Ireland and should be covered in depth.

This stands as one of the biggest things to happen in the society since its establishment over 50 years ago.

In my opinion, it’s enough to spark an EGM with the way it was handled by council.

However, it looks like they are just hoping it will all be forgotten about if they leave long enough pass.

In the past few weeks I have seen both the producer group and society have got lots of positive publicity in your paper but nothing regarding the two splitting. I refer to your old slogan “fearlessly on the farmer’s side” and sincerely ask if this is still the case?

If so why isn’t a matter as significant as this one being covered by the country’s leading agricultural newspaper?