Quality producer group schemes planned

MEAT processing factories and farmers can both be winners by selling Irish beef and lamb through quality producer group schemes.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association suckler committee chairman Frank Kehoe suggested the route after ICSA members decided to lobby supermarket groups to buy beef and lamb supplied by producer groups. He said factories that pay a premium price to producer groups are buying beef and lamb, which has been reared on family farms, has had a minimal number of movements and has a fully transparent history.

Factories can use this clean, wholesome, home reared image to their advantage in selling on to the supermarkets.