The €100m Brexit beef fund is dividing farmers around mart rings over who should be able to avail of it, suckler farmer PJ Keane told the IFA's first meeting on the €100m Brexit beef fund on Tuesday night.

Beef farmers need money but suckler farmers need the money too, he said.

"This is dividing farmers. Who are you going to back? Will you back them equally or back the one horse?

"I've always been an IFA member, I'm disgusted by how we're being treated. I know you've worked hard for the €100m but if we don't get some money ... we want money. We want a share.

"The €200/cow is dead in the water. Fine Gael won't give it. We want extra money for the suckler man. You have to go back and try and get money."

In response, IFA livestock director Kevin Kinsella said that the association wants the fund to be targeted at beef finishers and at suckler farmers.

Farmer views

Michael Biggins, Glencorrib, Co Mayo

"The fund should be ring-fenced for prime cattle and a certain percentage should be for sucklers. It's the fairest way.

"Everybody is not going to be satisfied, there'll be a job to please all the people."

Pat Murphy, Ardrahan, Co Galway, suckler and dairy farmer

"I'm a dairy farmer but I run a suckler operation with my uncle in Clare. How do you propose to get support to the suckler farmer who couldn't sell weanlings?

"The finishers couldn't buy them ... it was lose-lose for everyone."

For more on the meeting, check out this week's Irish Farmers Journal.

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