IFA welcomes minister’s call on Beef Forum deal

A statement from Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney calling for the full implementation of the Beef Forum agreement on time was welcomed yesterday by the IFA. Mr Coveney said after a very difficult 2014 for beef farmers interested parties have worked hard to reach agreement.

“We now have a basis, through the agreement reached at the Beef forum on November 12 and the improvement in prices since then, to begin to restore some confidence to a sector which has struggled in 2014. This is critically important if we wish to refocus our attention on the very many strategic challenges facing the sector.

“The provision of a single base price was a critical element of the agreement and processors have agreed that there will be no dual base pricing for steers and heifers in individual plants regardless of breed, age, weight or quality assurance status.

Mr Coveney said his department and the state agencies are working to deliver on various elements of the agreement.

“I am calling on the industry to deliver on its commitments on specification issues and to provide a period of stability so that we can move on at the next forum to focus on the strategic issues facing the sector,” he said.

IFA National Livestock chairman Henry Burns, welcoming the minister’s statement yesterday, sid Mr Coveney must ensure that all of the agreed outcomes from the Beef Forum are fully implemented

. He said the IFA is actively working on the implementation of the forum on the introduction of a quality assurance price incentive for steers and heifers from all quality assured farms.

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