DAERA seek views on mandatory sheep pricing

Sheep industry stakeholders in NI have received a letter from DAERA asking them for views on the introduction of a mandatory system for sheep price reporting.

Unlike the system that exists for beef and pigs, at present there is no legal obligation on abattoirs in either Britain or NI to report the prices they pay sheep farmers against individual weights and grades.

Instead in NI, a voluntary agreement has existed whereby abattoirs generally send weekly prices through to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) for analysis.

There has also been an arrangement with DAERA inspectors that abattoirs will facilitate periodic checks on a sample of carcases to ensure that grades are in keeping with the EUROP grading standard set out in EU legislation, and that carcases are properly dressed.

If any issues are found by DAERA officials they can offer advice, but have no power to take enforcement action.

A mandatory sheep carcase classification system would change all that, with factories killing more than 1,000 sheep per week (ABP Lurgan, Linden Foods and Dunbia) obliged to report weekly prices paid against certain grades to the LMC.

DAERA inspectors would then undertake a defined number of checks related to carcase dressing and grading.

With agriculture a devolved matter, NI could opt for a mandatory system irrespective of what happens in Britain. Scotland consulted on the issue in late 2017, and Wales and England consulted in 2018, but according to DAERA all are “still considering their approach”.

Those wishing to respond to the NI consultation are asked to do so by 16 January 2022.

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