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“We’re going to see when meal bills and fertiliser bills have to be paid in the not too distant future, there is going to be a real cash squeeze on farms,” said the newly elected IFA livestock committee chair, Angus Woods.
We’re producing a product to European standards... it should be reflected with a European price for our beef
“In terms of prices, it is clear that the market is not returning a viable price for a premium product. We’re producing a product to European standards, paying European prices for all our inputs that we put into it and we feel that it should be reflected with a European price for our beef.”
Woods farms just outside Wicklow town. The bulls from his 62 Limousin and Charolais suckler cows are finished at just under 16 months. Some of the heifers are finished off grass, while the others are finished around Christmas time. Due to the hilly nature of his farm, he runs a midseason sheep flock of 400 ewes and he also grows spring barley.
After serving six years on the committee, he is confident that the group is not only capable of dealing with everyday issues, such as BDGP and Quality Assurance, but also the big ticket items like Mercosur and the Beef Forum.
“When you’re sitting in a room and look around the table and you see who is there, the quality of the people we have on the committee is fantastic,” said Woods. “Henry [Burns] has done fantastic work on the committee and we were lucky to have him as chair.”
Referring to the opening of the Turkish market, Woods believes that not only are live exports critical to the balance within the industry, but that we should not lose sight of local opportunities.
“These new markets are brilliant but we still need to keep an eye on our local markets. We need to be able get into Northern Ireland, we need to be able get into the UK with our live exports as well. We can’t just turn a blind eye to that.”
From a farmer’s point of view, we need as many competitors in the chain as possible
“From a farmer’s point of view, we need as many competitors in the chain as possible; live exports have always kept a balance in the marketplace. Bord Bia needs to work on our behalf to make sure we have those markets. We need export markets for a wide range of stock, not just Friesian bull calves.”
“I think it’s absolutely reckless the manner in which Europe are approaching the beef element of the [Mercosur] deal,” said Woods. “I think it’s scandalous that they can be seen to be making an offer before they’ve even finalised the impact assessment. No business would be allowed to run in such a manner.”
He plans to get out to Europe, lobby fellow farmers within the EU and generate as much support there as possible to oppose the deal.
“We need our MEPs to stand up and be counted. We have quite a few rural MEPs and they need to realise what this kind of deal will do to rural economies. Farmers, as we all know, spend their money in rural economies. We need a very strong commissioner for agriculture to stand up and defend the European model of farming.”
The Wicklow man strongly emphasises the importance of the beef forum and maintains that the minister for agriculture, whoever he or she may be, must be involved.
“We would feel we have to be in there to represent our members but the minister is crucial,” said Woods. “We have our objectives set out before we go in, we know what we need.”
In terms of working with other farm organisations prior to meetings of the beef forum, he said that the IFA “would engage with anyone that is of like mind to our objectives”.
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