IFA: Raise suckler supports
It is also seeking a strong live cattle export trade to support the suckler herd which it describes as the backbone of Ireland’s €2.3bn beef and livestock sector.
IFA president Joe Healy, speaking at a meeting in Balla Mart in Co Mayo, said the €52m Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) was a positive start.
The one million head suckler cow herd is vital to the beef and livestock sectors. It provides the marketing image on which all our quality beef exports and access to the higher priced retail market outlets are secured.
Investment in the suckler cow herd delivers real value for money in rural communities.
A study had shown that each €1 of support invested in the beef sector, underpins over €4 in output in the economy, he said.
