The details of the €50m beef fund announced by the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday night have been given a guarded welcome by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA).

The scheme is set to deliver around €100/animal, slaughtered between 1 February and 12 June 2020, subject to a limit of 100 animals.

We also are pleased that there is no de-stocking clause

ICSA beef chair Edmund Graham said: “We are pleased that the scheme has delivered key asks from ICSA. A provision is included which should have the effect of delivering money to farmers who sold animals in the mart and which were subsequently slaughtered within 30 days.

“We also are pleased that there is no de-stocking clause. However, farmers have to be either a member of the Quality Assurance Scheme or else committed to joining before 30 September. Factory-owned animals are not eligible, again a key demand from ICSA.”

Live exports

However, Graham said the organisation were not happy at the apparent exclusion of live exported cattle. He said it would be seeking urgent clarification on the matter.

“Overall, the inclusion of finished animals over eight months of age which includes suckler cows is in line with what we lobbied for and we welcome the announcement.

“It is clear that winter finishers have needed a break after several disastrous years and this will help the suckler farmer indirectly when it comes to having more buyers around the ring for autumn sales,” he concluded.

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