Row between IFA and Department of Defence over contract for Down firm

A ROW broke out yesterday between the Irish Farmers Association and the Department of Defence over meat supplies to the Defence Forces.

The IFA said the Defence Forces recently withdrew a major meat contract from an Irish supplier and awarded the contract to an out-of-state wholesaler.

But the Defence Minister Tony Killeen strongly defended the awarding of a contract by his department for the provision of beef and bacon to the Defence Forces to a Co Down-based company, Crossgar Food Products.