‘A difficult situation became a crisis’

A DIFFICULT situation for pig producers became a crisis at the weekend with the discovery of the dioxin problem, a conference was told in Tullamore, Co Offaly, yesterday.

Teagasc specialist Michael Martin said pig producers in Ireland have incurred very substantial losses from July 2007 to June 2008.

A recovery in profitability occurred in July of this year, but this has been short-lived as prices have plummeted due to difficulties in the global financial markets and the economic recession.

“What was already a very difficult situation for producers became a crisis at the weekend with the discovery of the PCB problem,” he said. Mr Martin told the Teagasc Situation and Outlook conference that getting slaughtering plants fully operational is the first of a number of steps in a recovery plan for a sector.

It has farm gate sales of €350 million per annum and is responsible for the employment of about 7,500 people.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) meanwhile warned the welfare of all pigs must be fully protected during the current crisis. Mary-Anne Bartlett, CIWF-Ireland director, said people are rightly concerned about the human health and consumer issues of the pork contamination crisis: “However, we must not forget that pigs are sentient animals and their welfare must be protected at all times during this crisis.”

Stressing that CIWF is concerned that financial pressures may put pig welfare at risk, Ms Bartlett urged Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to ensure that this does not happen.

Meanwhile, the ban on organic pork products should be lifted immediately, according to the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association.

It said the problem of contaminated feed does not involve organic producers. “Feed used by organic producers must be certified organic and the type of feed which is the cause of the problem is not permitted under organic regulations,” it said. The association said it considers it unfair that a blanket ban has been extended to include the organic sector which is not the cause of the problem.