Calls for new beef regulator in sector

ICSA’s calls for a beef regulator has been endorsed by Deputy Éamon Ó Cuiv (FF), spokesperson on Agriculture.

The calls which were made at the organisation’s National Executive meeting last week and President Patrick Kent pointed out that, “a regulator would go a long way in redressing the imbalance which currently exists in the anti-competitive beef sector, which continues to be strongly weighted in favour of processors at the expense of producers”.

At the meeting, Deputy Ó Cuiv presented his proposal for an alternative distribution of Irish CAP funds, which prompted healthy debate from the floor. There was general agreement that cattle and sheep farmers must be prioritised with regards to Pillar 2 funding allocation which will be distributed as part of the next Rural Development Programme. “It is my understanding that Ireland does not have to communicate its final decisions on the distribution of CAP funding to the EU Commission until August 1st,” he added.