November 19, 2019

 

Irish beef grassroots organisation wants widespread implementation of cattle grading system

 

 

With trials of a new cattle grading system at several Irish beef processing facilities demonstrating increased rates of accuracy, the Beef Plan Movement, a grassroots organisation that supports Ireland's beef farmers,  is calling for the system to be implemented across the board.

 

The results of the trials have shown increased accuracy of 1.1% for conformation, and 7.6% increased accuracy for fat score.

 

Enda Fingleton, the chairperson of the Beef Plan Movement's south-east region, has called for this system to be "rolled out across all meat processing facilities immediately to ensure maximum returns for all farmers supplying animals to beef processing facilities".

 

One of the tenants of the Irish Beef Sector Agreement of September 15 was the commissioning of an "expert report on new technology in mechanical carcass classification".

 

Fingleton added that "a similar review and trial should be carried out on all sheep carcasses to ensure a greater level of accuracy with improved payments for both struggling farming sectors."

 

He called on both Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed and Meat Industry Ireland (MII) to "immediately undertake the installation of the new carcass grading machines, along with the review of governance and independent audits to ensure that highest industry standards are applied to help restore confidence levels between the processor and primary producer".

 

Commenting on the Beef Market Taskforce, the Beef Plan's south-east chairperson said it was "of the utmost importance" that it be reconvened, arguing that "the survival of beef farming pivots around open and transparent discussion between industry stakeholders around a table".

 

"Failure to have the beef taskforce reconvened is a disservice to the farmers of Ireland, who have expected the taskforce to serve them and work for them during a difficult time," Fingleton argued.

 

He also stressed that failing to reconvene the taskforce was preventing the farmer associations that are supposed to be involved in it from helping their members "through an extraordinarily difficult farming period".

 

The Beef Plan Movement has called on Creed to "invite everyone to participate as a matter of urgency".

 

- Agriland