Minister urged to use the budget to stabilise national suckler cow herd

Strong action must be taken by Simon Coveney, the agriculture minister, to stabilise the national suckler cow herd.

That’s the view of Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president John Bryan, who described the herd as the jewel asset of the country’s e2.3bn beef and livestock sector.

He said the minister must bring forward a strong suckler cow payment as part of the CAP reform agreement and Budget 2014 this October.