Proposals for the €50m Beef Fund
FARMING representative organisations have outlined their proposals for the distribution of the €50 million Beef Compensation Fund.
The ICMSA and the IFA have separately written to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to outline their ideas for the €50 million fund.
ICMSA president Pat McCormack said that the fund should be open to all farmers who finish cattle and payable on animals slaughtered above eight months of age.
‘ The Association has proposed a reference period of the year running from June 12, 2019 to June 11, 2020 and have also proposed 80 cattle as the maximum number for which payment can be sought. The basis for this is that farmers who slaughtered cattle during this period have suffered from Brexit or Covid-related losses and farmers typically slaughter similar numbers each year.
‘By picking a full year, we are reflecting the fact that all farmers who slaughtered cattle over that period have suffered losses and while the reality is that the €50 million fund will only partially compensate farmers for their losses, it is still important that all farmers’ losses are recognised,’ Mr McCormack said.
The association has also proposed that animals reared in the Republic, but slaughtered in Northern Ireland are included in the scheme.
It also called for payments to beef farmers from the fund to be made as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the IFA submission proposes a minimum of €100 per finished animal and the payment of funds retrospectively from the date of the Minister for Agriculture’s announcement.
‘Beef finishers have incurred significant beef price losses from Covid-19 and other market disturbances this spring, resulting in severe economic impact on their farm enterprises and family farm income,’ IFA president Tim Cullinan said.
In a letter to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the IFA said that the payments under the scheme should be targeted at cattle finishers who had incurred the most financial losses, with all payments applied from the announcement date. The farmers’ body also argue that there should be no limit on the numbers of eligible animals per each qualifying farm.
CATTLE SALE - JUNE 24: Improved trade for all stores both heifers and bullocks as a result of recent rain with more farmers around the ring. Sample prices as follows.
Bullocks: 4 x Charolais 445kg made €930; 2 x Charolais 350kg made €920; 1 x Charolais 425kg made €830; 1 x Belgian Blue 385kg made €750; 1 x Lim 305kg made €705; 2 x AA 437kg made €690; 2 x AA 400kg made €600; 3 x Friesian 360kg made €560.
Heifers: 1 x Charolais 490kg made €1,000; 1 x AA 490kg made €910; 1 x Charolais 385kg made €900; 1 x Charolais 435kg made €880; 1 x Limousin 455Kg made €840; 1 x Sim 330Kg made €680; 4 x He 280kg made €660; 4 x He 280kg made €660; 1 x Lim 315kg made €660; 2 x Sim 280kg made €640 cows with calves at foot made up to €1,250.
SHEEP SALE - JUNE 27: Bigger number and easier trade by €2-€3 per head. Opening brood ewe sale next week
Sample prices: 7 x 57kg made €114; 15 x 51kg made €110; 11 x 47kg made €105; 11 x 46kg made €104; 6 x 43kg made €100; 8 x 44kg made €98; 8 x 39kg made €90; 16 x 42kg made €89; 16 x 40kg made €88; 7 x 39kg made €86; 5 x 39kg made €81; 16 x 35kg made €79; 8 x 40kg made €79; 4 x 35kg made €75; 15 x 30kg made €72; 6 x 34kg made €71; 11 x 21kg made €55; Fat ewes were making from €62 up to €110. store cattle selling extremely well.
Beef bullocks over 600kg, €620 to €860 forward store bullocks over 500kg, €550 to €725; store bullock over 400kg, €400 to €575; store bullock over 300kg, €340 to €570; Beef heifers over 500kg, €480 to €700; store heifers over 400kg, €415 to €560; Fat cows €250 to €540.
SHEEP SALE - JUNE 25: 1200 sheep on offer met an excellent selling trade with a slight improvement on last week. Heavy sheep sold for a top price of €122 with plenty of farmer customers and strong demand for all classes. Prices as follows.
Lambs: 45kg and over €110– €122. 40kg – 44kg €93–€109. 35kg – 39kg €81–€100. store lambs under 30kg €75–€88. cull ewes: €65–€130. Breeding ewes: €100–€140. Ewes with lambs at foot: €160–€200.
SHEEP REPORT - JUNE 23: Large sale today with over 1400 sheep on offer. Trade fully maintained on last week with prices especially for the 44kg to 45kg well fleshed lambs. Lambs over 45kg sold from €116 up to €125 with well fleshed heavy lambs very much sought after and 42kg to 45kg sold from €110 to €120 while lighter lambs 40kg upwards sold from €106. Stores 30kg to 33kg sold from €78 to €85 while more forward stores sold from €82 to €97 with mostly farmers around the ring for the store lambs. Cast ewes up €5 per head while heavy ewes sold from €120 to €145 and store ewes from €15 to €25 with the kg.
Opening Brood Ewe Sale to include Tullow Sheep Breeders Association Sponging sale Tuesday 7th July (in conjunction with weekly sheep sale)
Sheep Sale every Tuesday. All sheep to be penned by 9:30am Breeding Ewes to be penned by 10.30 a.m. Viewing for buyers between 10 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Sale commences at 10.30 a.m. (also online).