IFA president calls on retailers to attend talks to resolve beef dispute

The President of the Irish Farmer's Association wants retailers to attend today's talks which aim to resolve the ongoing beef dispute.

He says supermarkets have played a major role in problems in the food chain for beef farmers.

The Agriculture Minister, Michael Creed has organised the meeting, which has led to the suspension of protests by farmers.

Members of the Beef Plan Movement, Meat Industry Ireland and farming representatives will attend the meeting in Kildare.

IFA President Joe Healy also wants beef that isn't up to scratch to be banned.

He said: "The key one is to ban the importation of substandard beef from the likes of Brazil or countries outside of the EU.

"If we produced the beef in the same way as they do, we wouldn't be allowed to put it on the shelves. That's critical, it's flooding the European market at the moment and causing an oversupply."