US beef opportunity offers relief to home market pressures

The major increase in US beef prices, up by €1 per kg in the last year to 5.00-€5.15 per kg, represents a real opportunity for Irish grass-based beef exports, said IFA president Eddie Downey.

Mr Downey and IFA livestock chairman Henry Burns are part of a delegation currently visiting Washington DC, following the re-opening of the US market to Irish beef exports. He said Minister Coveney has indicated that the US market could take up to 20,000t of Irish beef in 2015, which he describes as “substantial”.

“The opening of the US market is a positive development and its significance will be judged by farmers securing improved beef prices from the marketplace in 2015,” said Mr Downey.