Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald committed to stand by farmers if they return to the picket lines after talks today.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at Tullamore Show, McDonald said she had spoken to farmers who were part of the Beef Plan Movement protest at Liffey Meats in Ballyjamesduff and believed that farmers were desperate for change.
“The system has to realise that if you are going to drive farms to the wall, then the industry itself will not be successful,” she said.
McDonald also commented on the temporary factory layoffs during protests, which had been criticised from some quarters.
“The argument that farmers have is not with workers in factories and the Minister and the meat industry know this,” she said.
“The issue here is that the family farm model is about to go to the wall.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of the Irish economy. For it to work, farmers need to be treated fairly and transparently.”
Beef price
Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture Brian Stanley said that a fair beef price needed to be decided during talks on Monday between the meat industry and farm organisations.
“It’s not sustainable for farmers to produce beef at €3.40/kg or €3.45/kg.
“Input costs are in the region of €3.80/kg to €4/kg, depending on your type of land.
“The sums don’t add up and that can’t go on.
"Farmers will go out of business and there will not be a beef supply.”
He said a number of farmers were still paying back debts caused by last year’s fodder crisis.
Read more
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Failure of talks could see more protests - Corley
Crunch beef talks to take place in Backweston
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald committed to stand by farmers if they return to the picket lines after talks today.
Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at Tullamore Show, McDonald said she had spoken to farmers who were part of the Beef Plan Movement protest at Liffey Meats in Ballyjamesduff and believed that farmers were desperate for change.
“The system has to realise that if you are going to drive farms to the wall, then the industry itself will not be successful,” she said.
McDonald also commented on the temporary factory layoffs during protests, which had been criticised from some quarters.
“The argument that farmers have is not with workers in factories and the Minister and the meat industry know this,” she said.
“The issue here is that the family farm model is about to go to the wall.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of the Irish economy. For it to work, farmers need to be treated fairly and transparently.”
Beef price
Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture Brian Stanley said that a fair beef price needed to be decided during talks on Monday between the meat industry and farm organisations.
“It’s not sustainable for farmers to produce beef at €3.40/kg or €3.45/kg.
“Input costs are in the region of €3.80/kg to €4/kg, depending on your type of land.
“The sums don’t add up and that can’t go on.
"Farmers will go out of business and there will not be a beef supply.”
He said a number of farmers were still paying back debts caused by last year’s fodder crisis.
Read more
In pictures: best in show - the champions of Tullamore
Failure of talks could see more protests - Corley
Crunch beef talks to take place in Backweston
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