The Beef Plan Movement has agreed to ask farmers picketing outside factories to stand down but only if legal threats are withdrawn as part of a compromise agreed at beef talks.

In a statement to Beef Plan WhatsApp groups, southwest regional chair Dermot O’Brien said the group is committed to engaging with farmers if there was an official withdrawal of all legal threats by factories.

O’Brien said associated costs and the rights to reapply must also be removed. The Beef Plan Movement also requested this good will be shown to all independent farmers.

Bilateral meetings were held between the beef talk’s independent chair Michael Dowling and the six farm organisations. Meat Industry Ireland (MII) withdrew from the talks on Monday morning.

O’Brien said: “Yesterday's walk out is an optic and show of power by meat processors against farmers and a show of blatant disregard for the minister and all farm organisations who attended the bilateral talks yesterday to bring about resolution to the current difficulties that farmers are experiencing.”

O’Brien asked Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, who organised the talks, to take a hard line approach in addressing the current impasse.

Varadkar intervention

The Beef Plan also requested intervention from An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. It called on the Government to use all its resources “to protect Irish farmers and families from the show of power by meat processors and retailers”.

O’Brien said the short sighted approach of MII would lead to the total collapse of the beef industry and everyone employed within it. As a result, the European taxpayer would ultimately foot the bill in the form of another request for farm aid, O’Brien warned.

“Consumers need to be protected from the current impasse. Beef imports are set to increase as a result of the meat processors and retailers' defiance to not attend yesterday's talks.

“Irish beef is a world class product and beef imports into this country will remove the privilege and choice to the Irish consumer and denies our consumer the right to stand in solidarity with our farmers,” O’Brien stated.

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