Suckler farmers have been devoid of any real positivity in recent years with declining numbers, high costs, low prices, reduced supports and succession issues all contributing to concerns for the sector.

The one shining light in 2024 has been live exports and a lift in the international demand for Irish cattle. This is feeding into suckler farmers’ pockets, and seeing January 2024-born weanlings selling for over €1,700 in marts this week is a big injection of positivity for the sector.

On pages 44 and 45, Adam Woods goes into detail on where the markets are and what the outlook for the rest of 2024 is like. We are an island nation where live cattle exports have been an integral part of our trading system for over 100 years. We need to ensure this trade continues to provide an important viable avenue for the sale of suckler weanlings.