Meetings to further Beef Plan initiative

BEEF farmers are set to demonstrate their unhappiness with the way they are being treated by the industry at public meetings next week in Kenmare Mart on Tuesday night, December 11th, and Kanturk Mart the following night, both starting at 8pm.

Jason Fitzgerald, chairman of the Irish Farmers with Designated Land (IFDL) and organiser of the Kanturk meeting, said he is organising it ‘in a bid to help address the current crisis farmers are facing regarding cattle and beef prices.

‘My main focus remains the issue of land designations, but I felt compelled to organise an event after attending a similar meeting in Kilkenny as most farmers in designated areas have a common cause regarding a need for far better prices for their produce.’

He said that there are large crowds expected as farmers are fed up with what is going on, adding that it is important proper recognition is given to the primary producer.

Eamon Corely, one of the founders of the new Beef Plan initiative, will attend to address the attendees. The current prices that the factories are paying farmers for beef is 18% lower than their British counterparts, which is unsustainable and is forcing farmers out of the industry.

The Beef Plan is for both beef and dairy farmers and aims to unite 40,000 farmers in a bid to negotiate a better beef prices for their members. There are currently over 10,000 members after only a few weeks, he claimed.