The Irish Beef Producers (IBP) organisation, Ireland's first registered beef producer group, wants to “control the supply of cattle coming to the market,” said beef farmer and Sligo Beef Plan chair Gerry Pilkington.

Pilkington was speaking at Thursday’s IBP farmer information night held in Collooney, Co Sligo. The organisation has hosted a number of farmer information nights in recent weeks.

Outlining the objectives of IBP, Pilkington said: “We want to ensure beef production is planned and adjusted to secure demand, but not to over-supply the market.”

Not to alienate the weanling and store producers in the audience, he added: “Eventually we are hoping to drive the export markets for weanling and store cattle as well.”

Factories

Working on the principal that “farmers working together may be able to engage in a stronger way with the beef processors”, meeting attendees were informed that the group hopes to put farmers in a better position when it comes to making a price: “We need to start making a price, not just taking a price. Beef farmers have been price takers for far too long.”

The top table at Thursday night's meeting. Sligo Beef Plan chair Gerry Pilkington is third from left.

There has already been engagement with all beef processors, according to Pilkington.

“They (the beef processors) are feeling a little bit aggrieved but eventually they will have to engage. They have responded to us, but we would be hopeful that, going forward, it would be a much more positive engagement.”

Cattle numbers

The organisation could not yet comment on the number of farmers or the number of cattle that would be required to gain control, but Pilkington said: “We would be hopeful to get a big number of farmers in and to get a fairly sizable supply of livestock.”

If a sizable supply of livestock is secured, the group will move to impose levies on cattle moving through: “The group will run on a voluntary basis until such time as it becomes a viable entity.

"When we see that farmers are actually getting a return form this, then we will have to move up to the next stage.”

A potential €5/head levy was mentioned. Currently, registration and membership is free.

Farmer commitment

People enquired about the legal position in terms of commitment to the group.

“For any member that joins IBP, there is no hard and fast rule that they have got to put all of their cattle through that,” said Pilkington.

“If a member of this organisation is offered a better price from a factory agent than what they can receive through the organisation, then we would be only quite happy that that farmer would take that price.”

In the organisation’s published rules document, rule number 17 states that “each IPB member will be obliged to contribute to the IBP at least 10 cattle annually or 10 percent of the total number of cattle he/she disposes of annually, whichever is the lesser”.

Rule 18 also states that “each member shall provide such online access to his/her herd AIM’s profile as is necessary”.

Developments

In the coming weeks, the organisation plans to have agents dealing with factories in each different region. “We will be identifying assembly points and we will be identifying hauliers too,” said Pilkington.

IBP representative David Clarke said that “the marts will be a vital cog in the wheel”. He outlined that they could act as assembly points for cattle, as well as a means to guarantee payment for farmers.

Pilkington added that two marts in the Sligo region had been identified but not yet consulted with.

It was made clear that “the organisation will not be taking ownership of cattle. It will just facilitate the sale of beef or live cattle.”