SF attempts to rescue beef industry

An island-wide beef label has been proposed by Sinn Féin to remove one of the trade barriers which has left beef farmers in a financial crisis.

The major UK retailers who are Ireland’s biggest beef customers require either British-labelled beef (born, reared, and slaughtered in the UK), or Irish-labelled beef (born, reared, and slaughtered in the Republic of Ireland).

Sinn Féin agriculture spokesman Martin Ferris said his party colleague in the North, agriculture and rural development minister Michelle O’Neill, is happy to go to the EU seeking a derogation on the labeling issue.