IFA: Pay farmers for quality lamb

SHEEP farmers must be properly rewarded by meat factories for producing quality lamb, according to the IFA.

Sheep Committee chairman Henry Burns said farmers would respond positively to market signals if the factories put the right incentive in place in terms of a strong price reward.

Most farmers are selling lamb on a flat-rate basis and not getting rewarded for producing quality. This is because factories do not pay for quality and farmers have no confidence in factory graders.