Despite accounting for over 10% of membership, NI has been left with no representatives on the ruling council of the Hereford cattle society.

In a statement released to the Irish Farmers Journal, a group of local breeders said they have been left “shocked and mystified” by the decision to remove Portadown-based James Graham and Ballynahinch breeder David Smyth, from the council.

Both had prominent roles within the society, with Graham leading on the development of beef schemes and Smyth serving as president of the UK society in 2023. Back in June 2024, following a resolution passed by the board of directors, a notification to members stated that both are “no longer members, trustees and/or directors of the Hereford Cattle Society with immediate effect”.

The ruling means that neither Graham nor Smyth can trade cattle registered with the Hereford society.

“Breed society politics are notoriously fractious, but the severity of the sanction imposed and the financial impact is so extreme that many breeders are demanding more detail and justification of the action taken,” reads the statement from local members.

On enquiry, UK breed chairman, Philip Allman said he could not comment further “due to legal reasons”.

Allegations

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that a small cohort of NI breeders had made some allegations against both Graham and Smyth, which led to a formal investigation by Hereford House, culminating in the action taken in June.

Those allegations are strenuously denied by both Graham and Smyth.

“What was alleged was completely untrue. We have already spent £10,000 of our own money fighting this. It has caused us immense emotional distress,” Graham told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Beef scheme

Sources maintain that there has been ongoing issues within the society that date back to the decision by local breeders to set up a beef breed scheme in NI. Under the scheme, £3 is levied per head.

In their latest accounts to the end of June 2023, the directors of the society noted that this “dispute” has been resolved, with a “one-off settlement” of £35,000 paid to the society by the NI Hereford Breeders’ Association (NIHBA).

Going forward, NIHBA will take £1.50 and the Hereford cattle society will collect the other £1.50.

The accounts also show the society spent £62,825 in legal fees in 2022 due to “an ongoing litigation case” and a further £19,354 in 2023. Net assets of the society fell from £1.635m to £1.587m in the last financial year.