The uneasy truce between cattle farmers and processors faces an early test. Following Monday’s marathon 12-hour talks between Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and beef farmers, processors must meet a Wednesday evening deadline to respond on two issues.

One is whether verbal contracts for cattle can be confirmed in writing.

The other concerns weighing cattle individually immediately before slaughter.

More problematic could be the lack of progress in talks on age limits

Farmer representatives also expect the Department of Agriculture to outline the terms of reference for a review of the beef grid, a key Beef Plan Movement demand, by Friday evening.

More problematic could be the lack of progress in talks on age limits. Farmers will hope that analysis by Bord Bia and the Department of Agriculture will provide evidence that the 30-month and four-movement rules are not required by the marketplace.

Factories are killing at full throttle again. Prices remain below €3.50/kg, but that is not surprising farmers. The kill over the two weeks of the protests was down by 20,000 head on what was expected.