Signs are all too obvious for the downfall of cattle industry

CATTLE prices are in free fall and the mood of panic is beginning to grip Irish farmers.

Beef farmers have been dealing with the horrendous consequences of a price free fall, and now weanling producers are nervously wondering what will happen to the weanling trade this autumn.

The reason for the slump is that the EU is being flooded with South American imports, with EU approval. Worse still is the fact that the EU Commission seems willing to offer ongoing and limitless concessions on farm products to gain concessions of its own for goods and services into South America.

The consequences of a continuation of this policy need to be spelled out.

Irish beef is superior to its South American counterparts by way of safety, traceability and quality. But on price Irish farmers cannot and will not attempt to compete.

The consequence of weanling producers getting a roasting this autumn will lead to a cull of suckler cows, which in turn will fuel the panic of oversupply.

If the suckler cow cull begins in earnest, it will take on a life of its own and become irreversible.

The sacrifice of the Irish sugar industry is well underway and the demolition of the cattle industry is in the pipeline, with the obvious knock-on effect on cereals.

In the long term, we can look forward to an Irish countryside which will become an unproductive wilderness and a Europe that will lose the ability to feed itself. So it’s not just European farmers but also the European public who need to ask the question: for who and for what?

But all is not yet lost. Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan stamped her foot recently and shouted stop to the EU Commission. Her next step should be to wake up her own Government colleagues to the implications of where we are heading, and to ensure that the Taoiseach makes sure the interests of Irish farmers are not sacrificed at the WTO by the EU negotiators.

The bottom line is that if weanling prices cannot be maintained at last year’s prices or better, then ICSA will not be encouraging suckler farmers to stay at an unprofitable enterprise.

The loss of our sugar beet industry is a terrible indictment of the EU, a similar outcome for the beef industry would be a scandal.

Frank Kehoe

ICSA National Suckler Chairman

ICSA National Office

Lyster House

Portlaoise

Co Laois