A private members’ motion with 14 policy actions will be brought forward in the Dáil this evening to highlight the urgent action needed to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers’ in the beef sector.
Fianna Fáil are set to bring the motion to later this evening in an attempt to bring about urgent policy actions needed to safeguard beef farmers.
Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, said that farmers were now at their ‘wits ends’.
“With prices on the floor and potential armageddon starring them in the face from a no deal Brexit, the government must immediately take swift action to safeguard the sector,” he said.
“The beef sector and suckler farmers are at their wits’ end.
“In our motion, we have outlined 14 policy measures that need to be actioned immediately by the government to meet these severe challenges.
“These include seeking market disturbance aid from the EU as pertained under CAP. Other measures include opening the Brexit Loan Scheme for farmers which was first announced in October 2017.
“Increasing live exports of calves by enhancing lairage capacity, ensuring that the next CAP is fully funded to provide a €200 suckler cow payment as well as the introduction of a beef market index.
The Fianna Fail TD said that successive governments led by Fine Gael must accept accountability for ‘reneged commitments’.
“Successive Fine Gael led governments have reneged on its commitments under the beef forum, including the introduction of a market index for price transparency.
“It is my party’s view that a new independent authority is required to enforce the new EU directive on unfair trading practices to ensure farmers buy in.
“We are also calling for a full review of the QPS grid and more robust measures around carcase trim and grading, including publishing details of on-the-spot fines for factories breaching carcase trimming rules.”
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