Irish farmers need barriers to beef trade in Britain addressed

Extra preconditions for Irish beef exports to Britain pose a calamitous situation for Irish livestock farmers, writes Michael Spellman

PICTURE the scene, a British consumer picks up two packets of fresh beef in the aisles of their local supermarket. One piece is from Britain and the other is from Ireland. Both are quality-assured and both are priced at £8 (€9.74) per kilo. Sounds like a fair deal, but that is not so.

The Irish farmer who has meticulously cared for their livestock, and who has produced that meat to rigorous, Irish quality-assured standards, is receiving 15% to 20% less in payment than their British farming counterparts. This is as much as €200 less per head of cattle being sent to Irish meat factories for processing.