Mr. Angus Woods:

With regard to not allowing the feed lot operations, the men and women who historically bought the weanlings and stores and finished them on a family farm model unit traditionally had a high per hectare direct payment because they were finishing cattle. If we cannot support that family model unit and keep it active and around the ring, buying weanlings, and it disappears, the reality is that we will end up with only a couple of feed lots left doing it. The CAP that is put in place has to recognise the input that those family farm models have to beef finishing and the production that they engage in. Otherwise, we will end up with only the feed lots if we cannot keep the family unit going. That is critically important.

I hope when the report comes out that it will focus on the big picture and the structures within the beef sector, and how we can move it forward using issues such as forward pricing, contracts and derisking it from a farmer's perspective so that the farmer does not carry all the risk when the calf is born. The CAP is key. A report is one thing but I will be closely watching the recommendations that come with it. I hope that the committee recognises the impact that Brexit has had on the finishers in the last six to eight months. It has been very significant with more than €100 million gone. The report should recommend a retrospective payment for those finishers.