IFA meets Government over crisis in cattle farming

Falling cattle prices are expected to top the agenda at talks today between Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh and IFA President Tom Parlon.

The IFA says cattle prices have fallen by as much as £70 per head in the last five weeks because of the fallout from the BSE and foot and mouth scares.

Mr Parlon wants Minister Walsh to promise that the Government will do everything in its power to reopen vital beef markets which were closed to EU produce because of food safety concerns.

Countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia don’t trust the safety of EU beef, even though Ireland as a state has been declared free of foot-and-mouth disease and has the tightest anti-BSE controls in the world.