Marts remain resistant to the idea of becoming producer group stakeholders because they are “fearful” that groups “would eat into their business and turnover”.

This was the comment made by independent producer group facilitator Tim Harty when speaking to farmers at a Limerick IFA meeting on Monday. Harty explained that producer groups required at least 20 members and had to form a legal entity which “ideally” could be facilitated by a local mart.

Replying to a question from the floor on why marts weren’t interested in getting involved Harty replied: “They’re fearful it could affect their business. Would a turkey vote for Christmas if they knew what was going on?

“The marts have been a great facility but unfortunately they have been slowly but surely compromised into a small group of buyers.

“It is many sellers to fewer buyers,” he said.

He added he respected the work of the marts but that the establishment of a producer group with large numbers could give farmers more bargaining power.

IFA livestock chair Angus Woods welcomed the idea of producers groups and said that beef farmers needed a guaranteed forward price for stock that they could bank on.

He also defended the current mart system and insisted they were an “integral part of farming.”

“Of course there are big players buying large numbers but there is nothing stopping people putting their hands up and taking anyone on,” he said.

“I honestly don’t see a huge demand for a change in marts.”