INHFA and IFA air their concerns with new beef and sheep group proposals

THE INHFA has expressed major misgivings on proposals outlined by the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group that they maintain will undermine our naturally-reared suckler beef sector.

At a meeting of the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group, the organisation distanced themselves and withdrew from this process. This decision was reached following a lively meeting of the organisation’s national council where major misgivings were expressed regarding measures inside the report. On withdrawing from the Beef and Sheep Food Vision Group, the INHFA detailed several specific measures, in a statement their president delivered at this month’s forum. The measures that are of serious concern to the organisation are: Measure 1 – Reducing slaughter age to 24 months; Measure 2 – Reducing the age of first calving to 24 months; Measure 8 – Farm diversification scheme; Measure 9 – Farm extensification scheme. In relation to Measure 1, reducing the age of slaughter down to 24 months, they maintain that (even on a voluntary basis) this will undermine suckler and extensive farming systems.

There are, we believe “inherent risks associated with this measure that includes: Beef price manipulation resulting from pressure on slaughtering. This pressure will be seen each spring as farmers (many of whom are calving down in spring) will be selling stock into an oversupplied market.

“In setting a 24-month slaughter target there is a distinct possibility that this requirement could become mandatory in any future suckler support scheme. There is also a possibility that this could become a requirement for Board Bia certification.”

As regards measure 2, which proposes the reduction in the age of calving to two years, the INHFA stated: “This is not achievable in an extensive farming model (that includes organic). While this may be possible in intensive farming systems, whereby heifers are intensively fed through a meal feeding programme. For many suckler farmers often operating on fragmented holdings this option is not realistic and for many more they have

IFAC, Ireland’s farming, food and agribusiness specialist professional services firm, is advising Sligo pension holders to make sure they know how much risk is being taken with their pension money and how well it is diversified.

Martin Glennon, Head of Financial Planning at Ifac, stated: no desire to pursue this option and see it as counter-productive in reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions.”

On measures 8 and 9, the INHFA maintains that this is a cull of our suckler herd and cannot and should not proceed without a socio-economic assessment relating to the farming system and the wider rural economy that these farming systems support.

“Beyond this we also need to recognise the reputational damage from such a cull. How can we continue to promote naturally-reared suckler beef in markets throughout Europe and beyond, while promoting a cull to deliver on climate change targets. If we, as an organisation agree to this, we are effectively saying that our suckler system is polluting,” they concluded.

Meanwhile, the IFA have also taken issue with the Food Vision Beef Group Report.

IFA Livestock chairman Brendan Golden said that IFA will not sign up to the Food Vision Beef Group report as stands.

He said that the report contains no plans to develop a suckler and beef sector that is viable.

“This report is all about cutting production

“This year has been a very turbulent one for pension funds, with falls averaging 10%. But you can take proactive steps to lessen the impact on your pension.”

The two main components of most pension funds are stock market investments and government bonds. Stock market investments are seen as growth assets, and and further reducing the number of suckler cows in Ireland, which is already falling,” he said.

“This report will increase global emissions because it will result in more beef being produced in countries with a higher carbon footprint for beef production,” he said.

“In a week where the global population exceeded 8bn people, we are trying to reduce food production in one of the countries in the world which is fortunate enough have ideal conditions for producing.

“The suckler and beef sector supports thousands of jobs in rural Ireland and contributes hugely to the social fabric of towns and villages all over the country.”

Brendan Golden said there has been no impact assessment to quantify the negative consequences of this plan. Neither is there any indication of the funding that would be available.

“IFA has sought a meeting with the Minister for Agriculture about the draft report. IFA will not be signing up to this report as stands. It’s time for the Minister to get on the pitch and to come clean about what his plans for the sector are,” he added.

IFAC advises Sligo pension holders on their pensions

government bonds are seen as more secure assets.

How much of your money is in each will depend on your risk profile, but as a guide, a medium-risk fund could have 40% invested in each asset.

The fund manager can increase and reduce the amount held in each.

Ifac has been at the heart of agriculture and food since 1975, providing a quality service and expert advice to its farming, food, and agri-business clients across the country.

A top 10 accountancy firm, Ifac has over 30 locations nationwide and 500 people serving 22,000 clients.

SPEAKING in front of the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture on Bovine TB Eradication, IFA Animal Health vice chair Amanda Mooney called on the Department of Agriculture to move quickly and effectively to eradicate TB from the Irish herd.

Amanda Mooney (pictured) said the enormous cost and burden on farmers must not be increased to ensure this is done, instead utilising the tools already available and improving the system in place.

“IFA is demanding the eradication of TB from the national herd in the shortest possible time frames. “However, this cannot be achieved by further increasing the already enormous and disproportionate cost burden imposed on farmers in the programme,” she said.

“The main contributing factors to TB spread can be addressed in a practical and effective way that takes account of the farming dynamic in Ireland and the critical importance of animal movements and live exports,” she added.

IFA have highlighted five key points as crucial in the attempt to eradicate Bovine TB in the herd. Mooney continued: “We must have the Wildlife Programme fully resourced to ensure the enhanced programme which has been agreed is fully implemented throughout the country.

“We must address the deer issue before it starts to contribute to disease spread at the same extent as badgers.

“Farmers must be fairly compensated for the impact of the controls and animal losses on their farms. “The funding model must recognise the full value of farmers’ contribution to the programme and include those outside the farm gate who are beneficiaries of the programme but currently do not contribute financially to it.

“We are prepared to play our part in funding improved financial supports for farmers. The Department of Agriculture must reciprocate this by providing the resources for an effective and efficient wildlife control programme and by paying for any additional testing required, including the EU 30-day pre/post movement test.

“We have the tools at our disposal to achieve significant reductions in the levels of TB and ultimately eradication of the disease. While science is important and we must always seek to improve what we do, we cannot lose sight of the measures that have proven to be effective in the past,” Mooney concluded.