Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 Sep, 2019 to 31 Dec, 2019
Specific Details
Beef Market Task Force
Intended results
Establishment of a Beef Market Task Force to address the market failure in the beef sector where producers were forced to take prices below the cost of production. The work of the taskforce is ongoing. The results secured by end 2019 were:
- The introduction of a new in-spec bonus of 12c/kg for steers and heifers under 30 months in the categories of grade O- and fat score 4+, which currently do not qualify for any bonus.
- The immediate introduction of a new bonus of 8c/kg for steers and heifers aged between 30 to 36 months, which meet all non-age related existing in-spec criteria, and which up to now have not received any bonus.
- An immediate increase of two-thirds in the current in-spec bonus for steers and heifers, from 12c/kg to 20c/kg.
- The in-spec 70-day residency requirement will be reduced to 60 days on the last farm.
- Bord Bia will develop a beef market price index model based on 3 components cattle price index, beef market price index (retail and wholesale) and an offal price indicator, which will be introduced week commencing 16 September.
- An immediate scientific review of the Quality Payment Grid by Teagasc; the first stage of the review, a desktop analysis of the pricing structure of the grid on the basis of meat yield/conformation, to be completed by end October.
- Independent review of market and customer requirements, specifically in relation to the four in-spec bonus criteria currently in operation in the Irish beef sector.
- Independent examination of the price composition of the total value of the animal, including the fifth quarter, along the supply chain. The results will inform future actions as necessary. The beef industry will co-operate in providing data.
- Summary of competition law issues as relevant to the Irish beef sector.
- Provide additional detailed price reporting on the Beef PriceWatch App
- EU experts will be invited to brief the Task Force on the expanded EU meat market observatory methodology.
- Key retail customers will be invited to brief the Task Force on their market requirements.
- The Task Force will examine transparency models in other jurisdictions.
- A consultation process will be launched shortly on the transposition of the Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Directive, including consideration of the requirement for an independent regulator.
- DAFM will report its carcass classification inspection results on a regular basis.
- An expert report on mechanical carcass classification will be published in the near future.
- An appeals system for manual grading factories is being introduced.
- FSAI and DAFM will ensure strict enforcement of EU labelling laws.
- DAFM to engage with potential Beef Producer Organisations and provide guidance on the application process.
- Live exports are a critical outlet to improve competition in the sector. DAFM is committed to a continued strategic focus in facilitating and developing this trade on a sustainable basis, taking account of stringent animal health and welfare standards.
- DAFM and Bord Bia are actively engaging with the EU Commission on the development of a Protected Geographical Indication for Irish beef.
- Bord Bia will further intensify promotional activity for Irish beef across key EU markets and China.
- Review of hot & cold weighing system
- Meat industry to confirm that the base price at individual plant level applies to all steers and heifers regardless of age or breed.
- No change in weight limits without a minimum of four months' notice to the farmer.
- Farmers have the right to access their carcass images.
- Lairage weighing service will be provided on request, which may incur a nominal charge.
- Written confirmation of terms of sale, where requested.
- Farmers can opt out of the insurance scheme for animals delivered to factories.
- Blockades and protests will be removed immediately and all parties to this agreement will ensure that this happens.
- Thereafter, beef processors undertake that all legal proceedings against farm organisations and/or individual farmers will be withdrawn in relation to this matter.
- Parties agree that any future disputes that arise should, in the first instance, be brought before the Beef Market Taskforce, in order to maintain the integrity of the Agreement.
- Additional funding for targeted direct support for suckler cows is required as a priority.
- In the context of Brexit, support is urgently required to ensure that effects on all farmers producing beef are mitigated.
- The need to fully fund CAP and protect its share of the EU Budget, and to ensure that the current level of direct payments to Irish beef farmers is protected.
- That the Irish Government would seek the invocation by the EU of the WTO safeguard clause to reduce the level of beef imports from third countries. Furthermore, it should be ensured that imports which do not meet the same stringent standards as EU producers are banned.
- To highlight that factores have breached the agreement by imposing carcass weight restrictions on farmers
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Joe Healy, IFA President. Angus Woods, IFA Livestock Chairman, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Kevin Kinsella, IFA Director of Livestock
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Michael Creed
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Brendan Gleeson
Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Sinead McPhillips
Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Michael Lowry
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Jackie Cahill
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Pat Deering
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Charlie McConalogue
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Willie Penrose
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Thomas Pringle
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Brian Stanley
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Senator (Seanad)
Paul Daly
Senator (Seanad)
Tim Lombard
Senator (Seanad)
Michelle Mulherin
Senator (Seanad)