Beef Plan Movement protests will “escalate” and farmers have to “stand up and be counted”, one member of the group has said.
“We’re militant in a quiet way but it will escalate," Jerry Costello, a suckler farmer from east Galway and Beef Plan Movement member, told the Irish Farmers Journal at the group's protest at Liffey Meats outside Ballinasloe, Co Galway, on Thursday.
Farmers will stay outside the factory for as long as it takes to get a decent price for their beef, he said.
Costello said farmers have been there “around the clock” since Monday.
Galway and Roscommon farmers protest outside Liffey Meats in Ballinasloe.
“We’ll do the month if we have to. We’ll wait here until we get a fair price,” he said.
“This is huge peaceful protest. People are taking the time out to be here. They are frightened for their future. We can’t stop lorries going in, but we can ask them not to go in.”
Costello said the protest is ongoing since Monday and that no cattle have entered the facility as a result. “Several local farmers came here with cattle and they turned back. We have sympathy with the employees but our cause is a bigger concern.”
The gates at Liffey Meats, Ballinasloe, remained closed on Thursday.
Prices
Three years ago with the Brexit vote beef prices dropped straight away and the minute the local elections were over they dropped again, the suckler farmer said.
“This time last year we were getting €4.10/kg for beef, now we’re getting €3.45/kg. All we want is a decent price.”
“We’ve had 120 people here for the last three nights. There was 40 here this morning at 6am. Farmers are frightened.
Beef Plan protest outside Liffey Meats Ballinasloe
“This is a very serious situation for the west of Ireland. We have grass-fed beef, the highest quality, and our Commissioner [for Agriculture Phil Hogan] says we can bring in cattle from South America.
“They’re telling us to plant trees and they’re knocking trees. There’s indigenous tribes out there that haven’t been found yet. Now we’re like the tribes ... they’ll push us away,” he said.
Costello said there is a full rota of people ready to protest at the gates over the coming weekend.
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Beef Plan Movement protests will “escalate” and farmers have to “stand up and be counted”, one member of the group has said.
“We’re militant in a quiet way but it will escalate," Jerry Costello, a suckler farmer from east Galway and Beef Plan Movement member, told the Irish Farmers Journal at the group's protest at Liffey Meats outside Ballinasloe, Co Galway, on Thursday.
Farmers will stay outside the factory for as long as it takes to get a decent price for their beef, he said.
Costello said farmers have been there “around the clock” since Monday.
Galway and Roscommon farmers protest outside Liffey Meats in Ballinasloe.
“We’ll do the month if we have to. We’ll wait here until we get a fair price,” he said.
“This is huge peaceful protest. People are taking the time out to be here. They are frightened for their future. We can’t stop lorries going in, but we can ask them not to go in.”
Costello said the protest is ongoing since Monday and that no cattle have entered the facility as a result. “Several local farmers came here with cattle and they turned back. We have sympathy with the employees but our cause is a bigger concern.”
The gates at Liffey Meats, Ballinasloe, remained closed on Thursday.
Prices
Three years ago with the Brexit vote beef prices dropped straight away and the minute the local elections were over they dropped again, the suckler farmer said.
“This time last year we were getting €4.10/kg for beef, now we’re getting €3.45/kg. All we want is a decent price.”
“We’ve had 120 people here for the last three nights. There was 40 here this morning at 6am. Farmers are frightened.
Beef Plan protest outside Liffey Meats Ballinasloe
“This is a very serious situation for the west of Ireland. We have grass-fed beef, the highest quality, and our Commissioner [for Agriculture Phil Hogan] says we can bring in cattle from South America.
“They’re telling us to plant trees and they’re knocking trees. There’s indigenous tribes out there that haven’t been found yet. Now we’re like the tribes ... they’ll push us away,” he said.
Costello said there is a full rota of people ready to protest at the gates over the coming weekend.
Read more
Nenagh protest suspended pending talks with factory officials
Claims of intimidation at factory gates
Beef Plan protests disrupt cattle kill
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