Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) President Colm O’Donnell has called on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to include the primary producers of our beef suckler herd, as part of the 100 million package secured from the European Commission and Irish Government.
“I am calling on Minister Creed to send the strongest signal possible to all of the Ireland’s 78,000 specialist Beef Farms that his Government values this industry, and will now look after all its beef farmers equally,” stated Mr. Ó’Donnell.
The farmers leader went on to say that” under current EU Regulation 1308/2013 it provides for the Commission to take the necessary steps to address a market situation where, there is a significant threat to commodity prices due to unforeseen or exceptional circumstances. There’s no doubt that the prolonged uncertainty surrounding Brexit has caused Market Disturbance over the last eighteen months, which has affected our weanling and store trade as well as the price of finished beef”.
Concluding, the INHFA President called for” the speedy introduction of a rescue package for all 78,000 specialist beef farmers which includes cattle rearing farms together with fattening and finishing farmer owned farms. The best method of administration would be a targeted flat rate payment per farm using a front loaded model with a degressive element, and a capping or maximum that any individual farmer would receive under the scheme “.
