The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Cattle and Sheep farmers Association (ICSA) have reacted to the news of knackery closures.
The IFA's animal health chair, Pat Farrell, has said the Minister for Agriculture cannot allow a situation to arise where fallen animals are not being collected from farms.
“The Department of Agriculture is legislatively bound to ensure an efficient and competitive infrastructure is available to all farmers. The current infrastructure, through the licensed knackeries, is failing to deliver this service,” said Farrell.
He pointed out that farmers have been exposed to “continuous and unacceptable” price increases since 2013, and in some cases, knackeries refused to collect certain animals.
He then called on the Department of Agriculture to move “as a matter of urgency,” to reduce the costs for farmers and ensure no fallen animals are left on farms.
ICSA
Hugh Farrell, ICSA animal health and welfare chair, said: “It is very worrying that negotiations between the Department of Agriculture and the Animal Collectors’ Association (ACA) on a new fallen animal scheme have come to this impasse. The Department of Agriculture have dragged their heels and once again farmers will be the losers.
“Nobody wants to see a repeat of the situation we had last autumn when over 3,000 fallen animals were left uncollected on farms for an extended time due to a previous stoppage,” he said.
The health and welfare chair reiterated the sentiment of the IFA, as he too called for urgency within the Department to resolve the situation.
“There are ways to move this dispute forward and it has to be done sooner rather than later, he said.”
Read more
No knackery collections next week
Knackery owners to be balloted as talks with Department remain in deadlock
Hill sheep farmers prioritise generation renewal in next CAP reform
The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) and the Irish Cattle and Sheep farmers Association (ICSA) have reacted to the news of knackery closures.
The IFA's animal health chair, Pat Farrell, has said the Minister for Agriculture cannot allow a situation to arise where fallen animals are not being collected from farms.
“The Department of Agriculture is legislatively bound to ensure an efficient and competitive infrastructure is available to all farmers. The current infrastructure, through the licensed knackeries, is failing to deliver this service,” said Farrell.
He pointed out that farmers have been exposed to “continuous and unacceptable” price increases since 2013, and in some cases, knackeries refused to collect certain animals.
He then called on the Department of Agriculture to move “as a matter of urgency,” to reduce the costs for farmers and ensure no fallen animals are left on farms.
ICSA
Hugh Farrell, ICSA animal health and welfare chair, said: “It is very worrying that negotiations between the Department of Agriculture and the Animal Collectors’ Association (ACA) on a new fallen animal scheme have come to this impasse. The Department of Agriculture have dragged their heels and once again farmers will be the losers.
“Nobody wants to see a repeat of the situation we had last autumn when over 3,000 fallen animals were left uncollected on farms for an extended time due to a previous stoppage,” he said.
The health and welfare chair reiterated the sentiment of the IFA, as he too called for urgency within the Department to resolve the situation.
“There are ways to move this dispute forward and it has to be done sooner rather than later, he said.”
Read more
No knackery collections next week
Knackery owners to be balloted as talks with Department remain in deadlock
Hill sheep farmers prioritise generation renewal in next CAP reform
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