Tipperary farm leader joins call for €100m Brexit aid package to go farmers who need it most

The leaders of the two main farm organisations have said that the €100m aid package for beef farmers must go directly to the farmers.

IFA President Joe Healy said it is essential that the Brexit  package is targeted to the farmers who need it most.  It must be paid without delay and there must be no strings attached, he said.

Tipperary farmer and ICMSA president Pat McCormack said factory feedlots should not qualify for the funding.

IFA boss Healy said the fund was secured after a lot of hard work and lobbying by IFA. “It's for farmers - not for factories, agents or dealers. We will insist it is paid quickly and directly to farmers”, he said.

Mr Healy said the allocation and targeting of the €100m to the farmers who need it most is critically important and said it  must take account of the farmers who incurred the beef price losses and the income situation."

Mr Healy said it is very clear that the farmers who sold finished cattle since last September and suckler producers are the two groups who were hit the hardest.

IFA national livestock chairman Angus Woods said IFA has already met with EU Commission officials on the details of the €100m package, which he said was essential for winter finishers given the horrendous losses they have taken.

Mr Woods said under no circumstances can Minister Creed allow one cent go to factory-owned cattle or factory feedlot cattle. 

“Farmers who sold finished cattle through the marts must be eligible and not agents and dealers. The Department of Agriculture has all the data and information on the AIMs system,” he said.

ICMSA leader McCormack said  it is important at this stage that the Minister for Agriculture, Food & Marine confirms that the Government will firstly put up the matching funding and, secondly, set out how and when the fund will be distributed. 

He said factory feedlots should not qualify for the funding. 

He remarked that while farmer beef prices fell considerably since mid-2018, the reality is that the beef price paid by consumers over that period did not fall proportionately, so somebody along the supply chain had boosted their profits at the expense of farmers.

He added - “ In many cases, these factories would have bought cattle off farmers at prices considerably reduced on previous years and farmers would consider it very unfair to see them receive support on top  of that.  

“ICMSA specifically raised this issue in relation to feedlots with Commissioner Hogan and he undertook to examine our objections and to ensure that fairness is applied to the support package. 

“To suggest that only cattle finishers have suffered losses since mid-2018 is simply untrue. From calf, weanling and through to stores, prices paid for these animals took a serious hit since 2018 and the support package must recognise this fact and ensure that all such producers are included in the package.  

“ICMSA raised this matter directly both with the Commissioner and the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine, the losses have been acknowledged and the support package must be structured to support these farmers as well as cattle finishers”.