Live exports the only hope for beef sector

The recent beef forum delivered nothing in the way of positive news for the beleaguered cattle sector. Meat factories have confirmed that weight limits will be back on the table for the New Year while denying, against some evidence, that farmers were being penalised on weights in late 2015.

ICSA, along with other farm organisations, demanded answers on why the price differential with British farmers is at an all-time high.

In recent weeks the differential between what an Irish farmer and his English counterpart gets for an R3 steer has been consistently greater than €1/kg and as high as €1.20/kg.