"It's been an eventful week" opened Minister Michael Creed at the ICMSA aAGM on Friday, adding: "Dialogue is always better than disruption, my door is always open".

He was obviously referring to the protests in Dublin earlier in the week.

"I have never been shy in meeting farm organisations and the engagement hasn't always been comfortable, but it is within accepted norms of engagement. I would question if the modus operandi makes friends when you're inconveniencing others and making arguments that are hard to understand, and, in terms of the engagement I've had, conflicting arguments," Creed said.

"I wonder if that progresses the interests of the industry one iota. The more telling point is that if similar approaches were used by others against the interests of agriculture, there would be a very different view of that type of strategy. Others watch, and they see what works."

If we'd marched up and down the streets in Limerick there'd be nothing about it. It seems disruption works, the injunction was lifted within days

Injunctions

Pat McCormack, the ICMSA president intervened at that point to say : "All the presidents of all the farm organisations met the minister weeks, in fact months ago, and made it very clear that the [Beef Market] taskforce couldn't meet while the injunctions were in place. Don't overestimate what happened in the last week".

One farmer responded from the floor by saying: "If we'd marched up and down the streets in Limerick there'd be nothing about it. It seems disruption works, the injunction was lifted within days."

Finances

In relation to CAP, the Minister said: "[Ireland's] ambition is balanced by member states who say that the cuts in the budget don't go far enough. We as a Government are prepared to pay more into the European budget. We make that commitment on the basis that it goes to priorities of ours, particularly the CAP."

He added that new challenges such as inward migration "are not a reason to raise the budget of existing, successful schemes".

Farming's image

The Minister also touched on some negative commentary around farming, saying: "I do understand the real dangers of a pushback by farming against unfair criticism. There are things that we can do that improve the climate and environmental profile of food production.

"The customers are extremely happy with the product they get, but there are many steps and it's vital that we manage those steps we have control or influence over. There are concerns about the transport issue. Adherence to the highest welfare standards are of critical importance. We are committed to the highest standards.

Creed then pointed to the resources being committed, saying: "I've spoken to Bord Bia. The resources available to Bord Bia have increased substantially over my four years in office, driven primarily by Brexit, but equally by the need to address the climate challenge".

"We are pursuing a protected geographical indication (PGI) for grass-fed beef," continued Creed. "It would return a premium on supermarket shelves".

Schemes

Creed was criticised for excluding dairy farmers with over 40 cows from the Beef Emergency Aid Measure (BEAM). Speaking from the floor, one farmer said: "You [the Department] restricted dairy farmers and the BEAM scheme fell short. We lost money on the cattle we produced the same as beef farmers lost money, The 5% stipulation put a shackle on them taking away the chance to recoup their losses when beef markets rebound".

It was also highlighted that some very wealthy individuals who have beef herds were eligible for the BEAM.

"I had a finite resource available for the beef sector and I had to make decisions about how to support those who were losing the most ... those who were exclusively or predominantly exposed to the beef sector," responded the Minister, adding that if off-farm income was taken into consideration that would set a precedent for future schemes.