Bord Bia proposes live export quality plan
“The initial feedback from the industry and from a live exporter has been positive,” said Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith.
He told the Dáil last week that Irish exporters encounter two difficulties in Britain, post-import veterinary conditions imposed by the British government, and beef labelling issues with the finished beef product.
He explained that cattle born in Ireland but fattened and slaughtered in Britain will not get a British quality assurance mark, but said the scheme proposed by Bord Bia could enable Irish-born animals to access higher value market channels in Britain.
The scheme would draw on data from the Irish beef quality assurance and suckler welfare schemes, and other requirements at export level, and would incorporate unannounced auditing of participants, in order to verify their compliance.
The co-operative marts in Ireland have accused Irish-owned beef processors of discriminating against Irish farmers wishing to export live cattle to Britain.
Mr Smith said he has conveyed the concerns of live exporters and farmers to Meat Industry Ireland, which represents Irish beef processors, and put particular queries to the Chief Veterinary Officer in Britain, and awaits a response.
He said beef prices paid to Irish farmers have declined about 12% to date in 2009, but beef exports have remained remarkably resilient, with only slight declines in shipments to Britain and our main continental markets.
