Pig producers want country-of-origin labels on produce
The placard-carrying farmers suggested that many people at the show did not know if the rashers and sausages they had in their traditional breakfast that morning were Irish.
Conor O'Brien, Mitchelstown, a spokesman for the group, said consumers are being misled by Irish place names, brand names and slogans on the labels of many pigmeat products.
“Imported pigmeat is being sold under some of our best known brand names,” he said, explaining that the protest was to highlight the situation.
Mr O’Brien said the bulk of the imports have come through the EU, but were not necessarily from EU countries.
The producers want to have “country of origin” on pigmeat sold in the shops, so that consumers can make an informed choice about the meat they are eating. They also want more monitoring of the meat being sold into the food service sector.
“We’re not afraid of imports. We’re not afraid of competition, as long as the playing fields are level,” Mr O’Brien said.
Minister of State Tom Parlon, who broke off from his holiday in West Cork to attend the show, said it is unfair consumers are hoodwinked into accepting something they do not want.
