Certified Angus farmers earned €697,000 beef bonus in 2006
Mitchelstown dairy farmer Tim Dunne, chairman of the Irish Aberdeen Angus Producers Ltd, announced that the premium on top of set factory prices will be paid for U and R grades, fat scores 3 and 4, during November and December.
He said the group, formed in 1995, now slaughters more than 20,000 cattle per annum from the 1,750 members, peaking at up to 500 per week, to cope with increasing demand for Certified Angus beef in Irish supermarkets and export outlets.
He said the group earned farmers premium payments of €697,000 in 2006.
Members pay a levy of €6 per head, in addition to a once off membership fee of €200, and are paid a year-round premium of up to 15 cents/kg (5p/lb).
The animals are being slaughtered at Kepak and AIBP plants, and sell as Certified Irish Angus beef, mostly under the Tesco finest label, and also through the Pingo Doce supermarket chain in Portugal, Sligro in Holland and direct to the catering industry.
All animals must be from Quality Assured farms and aged under 30 months (bulls must be under 24 months) to qualify for the Certified Irish Angus premium. They must come within a weight range of 230 to 380kg carcass for steers, and between 230 and 350kg for heifers.
Qualifying animals must be described as Angus or Angus cross on their identity cards, and must have been on the seller’s farm for at least 70 days prior to slaughter.
Jimmy Delaney, Manager, Kepak, Watergrasshill, said larger carcass weights are not acceptable because consumers are not buying larger steaks, and the packaging is designed to cater for smaller cuts. He said relations with the producers group have been quite positive, and it was hard to understand why some farmers producing Angus cattle were selling outside of the group, when they can get substantial bonus payments within the group.
