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Beef prices can be discussed at Monday’s latest round of beef talks, according to IFA president Joe Healy.
Last week, the IFA met with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) which Healy said put no impediment to cattle prices being discussed at Monday’s beef talks.
The IFA president led a delegation with national livestock chair Angus Woods to meet with the CCPC in Dublin on Friday.
Healy said the CCPC confirmed to the IFA that they were not involved in any discussions around the parameters or pre-conditions for the beef talks and they did not, and would not, put any impediment in the way of prices being discussed at the talks.
“Our own legal advice is that under current EU and Irish legislation, prices can be discussed at the meeting.
“We made it very clear at the round of talks last month that price had to be part of the discussions. When we attend the talks this afternoon, we will be making price an issue. Farmers cannot survive at prices below the cost of production,” he said.
The talks
The talks are expected to begin with bilateral meetings between the various farm organisations – Beef Plan, IFA, INHFA, ICMSA, Macra, ICOS and ICSA – and Meat Industry Ireland with the talks chaired by Michael Dowling.
A further round of talks is then expected to commence on Monday evening in which all parties will be in the same round.
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