Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed is available to engage with all farm organisations, a spokesperson for the Minister has said. It comes as the Beef Plan Movement rejected the draft proposals put forward during beef talks and individual farmer protests sprung up at a number of factories on Sunday evening.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed is available to engage with all farm organisations, a spokesperson for the Minister has said.
It comes as the Beef Plan Movement rejected the draft proposals put forward during beef talks and individual farmer protests sprung up at a number of factories on Sunday evening.
Engage
In a statement, the spokesperson said: “Minister Creed continues to be available to engage with all farm organisations.
“It should be noted however that the protests now commenced at meat processing plants is [sic] not endorsed by any farm organisation.”
Minister Creed brokered a ceasefire between farmers and the meat industry a fortnight ago, whereby both sides agreed to talks on the condition that protests were ceased and factories suspended legal action.
Legal action
Enda Fingleton, southeast regional chair of the Beef Plan and one of its negotiators in the recent Backweston talks, told the Irish Farmers Journal that the threat of legal action still remained on named individuals from the group.
Legal action taken by factories against individual farmers will remain suspended as long as factories are allowed to process, Meat Industry Ireland’s Cormac Healy has said.
The Beef Plan has stated that it has no part in the protests which began on Sunday evening.
It reiterated that it will not take part in any pickets and instead called on Minister Creed to assist in addressing farmers' concerns.
Protests
Farmers have gathered at the gates of a number of factories, including ABP Cahir in Co Tipperary, ABP Waterford and Dawn Grannagh.
The farmers gathered outside ABP Cahir told the Irish Farmers Journal they were not connected to the previous Beef Plan protest, but that they were unhappy with the outcome of recent talks.
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