Slaughter decision delay

THE National Council of the IFA is grappling with a major policy decision on fitting the Slaughter Premium into the reformed CAP. The Association has warned that beef finishers, and the country, could lose up to 40m per year, if the wrong decision is made.

The Association’s governing body has already plumped for 100% decoupling of payments for everything in the livestock sector; but they have reserved their decision on the premia payable for animals slaughtered at meat plants and abattoirs.

The IFA National Dairy Committee are also discussing the best option for dairy farmers in the decoupling of their EU support, which will not come into effect until 2008.