Mr. Edmund Graham:

The margins of all players along the food chain need to be subject to audit and full transparency. The ICSA believes that Ireland should push for an EU level auditor to audit and publish who makes the profit from beef and to expose retailers who take excess margin from the food chain. There needs to be an investigation into how beef processors use feedlots. This should be examined from an anti-competitive position and abuse of a dominant position should be examined against the backdrop of the Google fine imposed by the European Commission in 2019.

The beef price grid needs to be reviewed. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, ICSA, favours a simplified grid with real and worthwhile bonuses for U-grade cattle. We also want to see an end to the abuse of the quality assurance scheme by meat factories and we want an end to artificial devices for squeezing price such as age, weight and residency conditions.

On CAP reform, the priority must be to deliver the bulk of payments to less intensive cattle, sheep and tillage farmers. Those who need a nitrates derogation do not need direct payments.