The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) is calling on Minister for Agriculture Dara Calleary to set up a dedicated sheep taskforce.
The association launched the campaign for the taskforce at its national executive in Portlaoise on Wednesday 29 July, highlighting that sheep exports were worth €294m last year.
ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara said the sector was not getting the attention it deserved and a taskforce was needed to sustain its future viability.
“It is unacceptable that sheep farmers have been left out of any COVID compensation packages,” McNamara said.
“It is wholly unfair that aid has been targeted solely at the beef and dairy sectors while sheep farmers, those with the lowest incomes by far, are left out.”
The group is calling for:
Weekly reports on the number of lambs imported, and from where.Full transparency around which markets these imported lambs are servicing.A comprehensive explanation on how farmers can be assured these lambs are not being sold as Origin Green lambs. An outline of the veterinary protocols imposed and traceability requirements on all lambs at the point of export before they come to Irish meat factories.Banagher beef investors
ICSA beef chair Edmund Graham also called on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to review her Department’s decision to refuse an application that would have enabled a beef exporting business to be set up in Banagher, Co Offaly.
He said the application from investors who wanted to set up the business had come through the Immigrant Investor Programme.
“This is a totally unacceptable decision which undermines competition in a sector where farmers are utterly frustrated at the closed shop nature of beef processing. The committee has gone well beyond its remit in referring to Government policy to rationalise beef processing,” Graham said.
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The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) is calling on Minister for Agriculture Dara Calleary to set up a dedicated sheep taskforce.
The association launched the campaign for the taskforce at its national executive in Portlaoise on Wednesday 29 July, highlighting that sheep exports were worth €294m last year.
ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara said the sector was not getting the attention it deserved and a taskforce was needed to sustain its future viability.
“It is unacceptable that sheep farmers have been left out of any COVID compensation packages,” McNamara said.
“It is wholly unfair that aid has been targeted solely at the beef and dairy sectors while sheep farmers, those with the lowest incomes by far, are left out.”
The group is calling for:
Weekly reports on the number of lambs imported, and from where.Full transparency around which markets these imported lambs are servicing.A comprehensive explanation on how farmers can be assured these lambs are not being sold as Origin Green lambs. An outline of the veterinary protocols imposed and traceability requirements on all lambs at the point of export before they come to Irish meat factories.Banagher beef investors
ICSA beef chair Edmund Graham also called on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to review her Department’s decision to refuse an application that would have enabled a beef exporting business to be set up in Banagher, Co Offaly.
He said the application from investors who wanted to set up the business had come through the Immigrant Investor Programme.
“This is a totally unacceptable decision which undermines competition in a sector where farmers are utterly frustrated at the closed shop nature of beef processing. The committee has gone well beyond its remit in referring to Government policy to rationalise beef processing,” Graham said.
Read more
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Farm retirement schemes: what do European countries do?
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