Donegal Senator and Sinn Féin’s Seanad Agriculture spokesperson, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has called on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and the beef forum to deal with the problem of the recording of farm-to-farm cattle movements.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said; “The penalisation of farmers by the meat factories for the number of movements an animal has recorded against it has to be tackled. Quality Payment Scheme bonuses are being withheld on this basis.”
“There is a case to be made for not counting movement of cattle between quality assured farms.”
“Our party has received many representations from farmers on this issue. They feel it is unfair, and I agree with them, that penalties are imposed by the meat processors for movements which are not significant in any way. A recent study carried out by ICOS found that many British supermarkets are not making the strident demands which are being imposed by Irish factories. ICOS correctly pointed out that the Quality Payments Scheme is in fact a quality penalty scheme as it is being implemented by the factories. Bord Bía does not place any of these movement restrictions on cattle.”
“The Minister, as chair of the Beef Forum, will have to tackle this issue when he has everyone around the table.”
“The factories take every opportunity to penalise farmers. At the moment they are exaggerating the Sterling devaluation after the vote by Britain to leave the EU.”
“The Beef Forum is supposed to look after the interests of farmers as well as the rest of the sector and the Minister has a responsibility to defend the primary producer.”
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