CEO of the Agri-Food Regulator Niamh Lenehan heard IFA concerns on a lack of transparency on sheep prices. \ Philip Doyle
ADVERTISEMENT
The CEO of the Agri-Food Regulator Niamh Lenehan has been asked to bring transparency to the sheep processing sector by regularly publishing price, weight and carcase specification data.
The request came from the IFA’s sheep chair Adrian Gallagher, who stated that sheep farmers are currently operating without any real-time, standardised information on factory sheepmeat prices.
Figures quoted by processors are often “not comparable to actual prices paid” and transparency issues are compounded by some factories regularly choosing not to release quotes, Gallagher said while speaking at an IFA event on Thursday.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I think it is very important to acknowledge people coming forward in terms of putting flesh on the bone on what does transparency mean for them, and what can actually be of assistance on the ground and we can move that forward appropriately,” Lenehan said.
The regulator has already drawn up a voluntary “co-operation framework” as to how it could collect information from retailers and processors not publicly available, and which may be commercially sensitive.
While the body only has powers to seek information from these players in the market, it has sought updates to legislation which would increase its powers to prevent requests for information going ignored.
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
The CEO of the Agri-Food Regulator Niamh Lenehan has been asked to bring transparency to the sheep processing sector by regularly publishing price, weight and carcase specification data.
The request came from the IFA’s sheep chair Adrian Gallagher, who stated that sheep farmers are currently operating without any real-time, standardised information on factory sheepmeat prices.
Figures quoted by processors are often “not comparable to actual prices paid” and transparency issues are compounded by some factories regularly choosing not to release quotes, Gallagher said while speaking at an IFA event on Thursday.
“I think it is very important to acknowledge people coming forward in terms of putting flesh on the bone on what does transparency mean for them, and what can actually be of assistance on the ground and we can move that forward appropriately,” Lenehan said.
The regulator has already drawn up a voluntary “co-operation framework” as to how it could collect information from retailers and processors not publicly available, and which may be commercially sensitive.
While the body only has powers to seek information from these players in the market, it has sought updates to legislation which would increase its powers to prevent requests for information going ignored.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS