Less than 24 hours since an agreement was finalised to address the crisis in the beef industry, “illegal blockades” remain in place at factory gates right across the country, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has said.
On Sunday, farm organisations and factories agreed on new bonus payments.
The agreement is dependent on farmers ceasing all protest activity outside factory gates and factories dropping all legal charges against farmers for previous protesting activity.
Contravention
“Yesterday’s agreement with all farming organisations required that all protesting and blockading across the country would cease immediately.
"This has not been honoured, in contravention of the agreement negotiated in good faith.
“This continued illegal blockading of processing plants shows an absolute disregard for the law of the land,” a spokesperson for MII, the body which represents the factories, said on Monday afternoon.
The agreement involves considerable investment by MII members to ensure that farmers producing in-spec cattle will receive more money for their animals, according to MII.
There is every chance that customers for Irish beef will have moved elsewhere, with a catastrophic impact on market returns
It is now essential that the Minister and all farm organisations ensure that all illegal blockades are removed and the agreement reached can enter into effect, the spokesperson said.
‘Massive damage’
“This is the third week in a row that Irish beef farmers are unable to have their cattle processed and that the Irish beef industry has been unable to serve its customers.
"The protests are doing massive damage to the industry, and customers are going elsewhere in Europe for their beef.
“It may take a long time to win these customers back.
"The continued illegal blockading is causing irreparable damage to a sector that is worth €2.5bn in exports and in normal times employs over 10,000 people.
It has already resulted in thousands of staff layoffs
“It has already resulted in thousands of staff layoffs and with the continued illegal blockading, thousands more are now inevitable.
“Whenever processing recommences there is every chance that customers for Irish beef will have moved elsewhere, with a catastrophic impact on market returns which are already under considerable pressure.
“Government may then be forced to look for market support measures from the EU,” the spokesperson said.
Current pickets
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that pickets remain in place at at least 12 plants on Monday.
These include Kepak Ennis, Kepak Athleague, Kepak Watergrasshill, Dawn Charleville, Dawn Grannagh, ABP Bandon, ABP Cahir, ABP Waterford, ABP Nenagh, ABP Rathkeale, Meadow Meats Rathdowney and Liffey Meats Ballyjamesduff.
Protesters have left the gates of Kildare Chilling following a continuation of a deal brokered last week that allows sheep to be processed on condition that no cattle enter the facility.
Read more
Agreement reached between farmers and factories in beef talks
Live story: beef talks roll on through the night into Sunday
Watch: Ballyjamesduff picket remains in place
Farmers urged to lift pickets and give beef deal a chance
Less than 24 hours since an agreement was finalised to address the crisis in the beef industry, “illegal blockades” remain in place at factory gates right across the country, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has said.
On Sunday, farm organisations and factories agreed on new bonus payments.
The agreement is dependent on farmers ceasing all protest activity outside factory gates and factories dropping all legal charges against farmers for previous protesting activity.
Contravention
“Yesterday’s agreement with all farming organisations required that all protesting and blockading across the country would cease immediately.
"This has not been honoured, in contravention of the agreement negotiated in good faith.
“This continued illegal blockading of processing plants shows an absolute disregard for the law of the land,” a spokesperson for MII, the body which represents the factories, said on Monday afternoon.
The agreement involves considerable investment by MII members to ensure that farmers producing in-spec cattle will receive more money for their animals, according to MII.
There is every chance that customers for Irish beef will have moved elsewhere, with a catastrophic impact on market returns
It is now essential that the Minister and all farm organisations ensure that all illegal blockades are removed and the agreement reached can enter into effect, the spokesperson said.
‘Massive damage’
“This is the third week in a row that Irish beef farmers are unable to have their cattle processed and that the Irish beef industry has been unable to serve its customers.
"The protests are doing massive damage to the industry, and customers are going elsewhere in Europe for their beef.
“It may take a long time to win these customers back.
"The continued illegal blockading is causing irreparable damage to a sector that is worth €2.5bn in exports and in normal times employs over 10,000 people.
It has already resulted in thousands of staff layoffs
“It has already resulted in thousands of staff layoffs and with the continued illegal blockading, thousands more are now inevitable.
“Whenever processing recommences there is every chance that customers for Irish beef will have moved elsewhere, with a catastrophic impact on market returns which are already under considerable pressure.
“Government may then be forced to look for market support measures from the EU,” the spokesperson said.
Current pickets
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that pickets remain in place at at least 12 plants on Monday.
These include Kepak Ennis, Kepak Athleague, Kepak Watergrasshill, Dawn Charleville, Dawn Grannagh, ABP Bandon, ABP Cahir, ABP Waterford, ABP Nenagh, ABP Rathkeale, Meadow Meats Rathdowney and Liffey Meats Ballyjamesduff.
Protesters have left the gates of Kildare Chilling following a continuation of a deal brokered last week that allows sheep to be processed on condition that no cattle enter the facility.
Read more
Agreement reached between farmers and factories in beef talks
Live story: beef talks roll on through the night into Sunday
Watch: Ballyjamesduff picket remains in place
Farmers urged to lift pickets and give beef deal a chance
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