The rapid spread of COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge to public health. In this week's edition, Ministers Charlie McConalogue, Martin Heydon and Pippa Hackett appeal to the farming community to play their part in controlling the spread of the disease. IFA president Tim Cullinan has also called on members to take all necessary precautions.

Farmers and service providers have rightly been granted essential worker status – largely providing the flexibility required to ensure necessary activities can be carried out on farm and that the wider food processing sector continues to function. But with this comes the responsibility to ensure all measures and guidelines are fully are adhered to. There must be a zero-tolerance approach to those not adhering to guidelines and/or restrictions. These individuals are risking their own health, the health of others and expose the sector to even tighter restrictions.

We must respond to this latest surge with the same determination and focus as evident last March. All the necessary hand sanitation facilities should be in place. While not in our nature, engagement with truck drivers or anyone coming on to the farm to provide essential services should be avoided. Instructions should be provided over the phone.

Public frustration to this third wave is understandable after the hard work, effort and sacrifices that were made but there is little to be gained from rushing to apportion blame. Governments won’t beat COVID-19; societies that take collective responsibility for limiting its spread will. Rather than engaging in a blame game, we need to ask what role each of us can play in helping avoid the loss of life by suppressing the disease until an effective vaccination programme is in place.

No farmers allowed ringside at Nenagh Mart due to Level 5 restrictions. \ Odhran Ducie

Naturally, Government will be measured against the pace at which a vaccination programme is rolled out – but it is essential that a balance is struck between getting it done quickly and getting it done right.

More than most, farmers will understand the importance of adhering to good practice in relation to the administration of a vaccination programme – plus the risk of vaccine failure if proper procedures are not followed.

As much emphasis should be placed on the health and wellbeing of our farmers as on their livestock this spring

While reinforcing the need to adhere to various restrictions, it is important that we remain conscious of the impact that they are having on many people’s mental health. This added stress comes just weeks ahead of what is one of the busiest periods on many farms with calving and lambing about to get under way.

Getting away from the farmyard for a few hours and meeting others is an important release valve during this high-stress period, especially when things might not be going according to plan. With restrictions likely to be in place for a large part of the busy calving season, discussion groups should arrange in the weeks ahead to discuss how they can support each other – agreeing to a simple phone call every week might be all that is required or a group call using the various conference facilities.

For many, the closure of marts will exacerbate the level of isolation further. The Department of Agriculture and other key stakeholders should review how they engage with farmers in the coming months, recognising the additional stresses that many will be facing.

The creation of farmer support pods should be considered. We are fortunate to have Teagasc offices and an IFA branch structure, each with a deep knowledge of farmers within their local areas. Both should be supported to help to ensure that as much emphasis is placed on the health and wellbeing of our farmers as on their livestock this spring.

But ultimately the greatest resource is the deep community spirit that exists throughout every rural town and village. At a time when forced to stay apart, we must work this community spirit harder than ever to make sure we keep farmers connected.

In farming, the dark, wet days are quickly forgotten when the cows are at grass and dust is rising as the soil is tilled. As ever, these days are just around the corner and this year will be made all the more satisfying in the knowledge that our backs will be to the sun as the widespread rollout of a vaccination programme allows us put COVID-19 behind us. We can do this. We will do this.

This week's cartoon:

\ Jim Cogan

Beef: opportunity to finally get transparency

Details of the various reports carried out by Grant Thornton into transparency in the beef sector are slowly starting to emerge. While we continue to wait with anticipation, hope of meaningful progress is quickly fading.

As Barry Cassidy details here, the report reviewing competition law lacks any recommendations. As further details emerge, the ability of the beef taskforce to effect real change will quickly become apparent.

Elsewhere this week, Phelim O’Neill exposes the extent to which the taskforce risks missing a golden opportunity to secure real progress.

As highlighted last week, it is incredulous that as part of the €100m support package announced for meat and dairy processors, there was no request from Government to apply additional measures aligned to addressing the issues identified through the beef taskforce.

It would be reasonable for farmers to expect those representing their interests around the table to have made this a top priority.

A commitment from Government requiring beef factories applying to the fund to sign up to a price transparency mechanism – such as the USDA model – must now be secured if the taskforce is to retain any credibility.

Meanwhile, Matt Dempsey highlights the move by Denmark to refuse state aid to companies that avail of tax havens.

It is ironic that as the Government hands out money to factories with no additional strings attached, farmers are struggling to comply with the stock reduction measures bolted on to the BEAM scheme.

It means that at the end of the year, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue could be presiding over a situation where he is clawing money back from farmers that availed of a support scheme put in place to reflect a collapse in market prices while at the same time paying money out to beef processor without any additional conditions.

Given the market disruption of COVID-19 and the further risk to market prices of forcing farmers to reduce stock numbers over the next six months, there is a strong argument for the 5% reduction commitment to be either eliminated or significantly reduced. But pressure needs to be applied.

Markets: meat demand strong and dairy outlook positive

Demand for beef and lamb has gotten off to a strong start. The year 2020 exposed the true value of sheepmeat with a 10% increase in price doing nothing to weaken consumer demand. We also see strong consumer demand for beef, particularly through retail outlets. The reliance on these outlets for British and Irish beef has undoubtedly fuelled the increased demand for finished cattle over recent weeks. With reports of exceptionally strong retail beef sales over the Christmas period, factories are extremely active for finished cattle.

With current prices 40-50c/kg behind what finishers require to make a margin, there is a need for this strong demand to translate into a significant price rise.

Meanwhile, the outlook for dairy markets remains positive this week with the fourth consecutive lift in the GDT auction at a time of the year when the southern hemisphere countries are producing a lot of milk. With global demand and supply finely balanced and with an expectation that the challenges of COVID-19 will ease as the year progresses, dairy farmers will be planning for a relatively strong base milk price for 2021 if all goes according to plan.

With the Brexit cliff-edge avoided, this also helps confidence for Irish suppliers and processors. The big challenge for the dairy sector in 2021 will be delivering on its commitment to create added value that will be returned through the milk price.

Milking equipment: Focus on parlours

In this week’s Focus, Aidan Brennan looks at ways of heating water. Having adequate quantities of hot water in wash routines is one way to mitigate for the loss of chlorine in plant wash routines. January is a busy month for parlour installations and renovations. Any COVID-19 restrictions will need to allow these to continue.