We need to be properly paid for the product we produce

DEAR SIR: I have spent the last couple of weeks debating with myself on whether or not to sign the SOS petition.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree totally with the reality that Irish suckler farmers find themselves in – I’m one of the 100,000. And I take my hat off to the Irish Farmers Journal for taking the initiative to highlight the issues. But is the begging bowl going to solve this problem?

I run a small herd of 30 cows on middle of the road land. Springtime is busy for me (like many others), and I can recall countless mornings heading off to work having not seen the bed the night before. I purchase all of my inputs locally, support the local vets and sell in the local mart. And for what? The paltry profit (or loss) at the end of the year. If I were to put the same unsociable hours and commitment into my off-farm work, wouldn’t I be much better off financially? The simple answer is yes.

Wouldn’t I be better off leasing my lands for an inflated price to the nearest dairy farmer and avail of the tax-free benefits? Yes, I would.

But the simple fact of the matter is I wouldn’t be happy. Why? Because deep down I love farming, the hardships, the struggles and all. And I love sucklers. I want to produce the best cattle that I can. And that goes for most of our suckler farmers. It’s a passion, and while the income is a major obstacle, most of us will continue to do it, because we don’t particularly want to rear someone else’s leftovers.

But here’s the thing, the problem is that we simply do not get paid enough for what we produce. The price differential between the suckler-bred beef (Es, Us and good Rs) and the dairy beef (Os and Ps) is just a joke.

One beef processor has gone on record lamenting the demise of the good beef cattle for the lesser quality dairy-bred stock, and the reductions in carcase weights. What have they done about this? Nothing.

So here we are, crying about the reducing numbers of suckler cows and their owners. Have we the right to expect Joe Public to dig a little deeper to help us out? No, we don’t.

What we need to do is to be properly paid for the product we produce.

If the meat factories want quality, they should be expected to pay for it (especially with the healthy balance sheets that they have shown over the last few years).

Regaining control

So, in conclusion, I salute you in your efforts to protect our suckler farmers. However, the EU is not the place we need to lobby. Until such time as we regain some control of our beef industry, the demise will continue.