Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As part of the Irish beef sector agreement of 15 September 2019, Bord Bia committed to develop a beef market price index model based on three components - cattle price index, beef market price index, including retail and wholesale, and an offal price indicator. Work on the development of this index is under way and progress on this will be reported via the beef task force, which was set up to oversee the implementation of the commitments agreed to at the recent beef talks.

The task force comprises key beef sector stakeholders, with Michael Dowling as independent chair. The beef task force meeting scheduled for yesterday, 14 October, was adjourned, as members of the task force were prevented from attending the meeting. It is in the interests of everyone involved in the beef industry that the work of the task force goes ahead. The task force’s remit is to monitor the implementation of the actions arising from the agreement reached on 15 September. It offers the most viable platform for strategic engagement with key stakeholders. It was a great pity that farm representatives were not in a position to air the legitimate concerns of farmers at the task force.

The agreement of 15 September sets out strategic measures that will seek to address structural imbalances and enhance transparency in the sector. A number of actions in the area of market transparency, beef promotion and strengthening the position of the farmer in the supply chain were agreed.

I do not intend to read out the agreement in full as the text is available on the Department's website. I am satisfied that it contains the best balance of immediate financial benefits for farmers and a series of more medium-term strategic actions. The best approach to supporting the sector, especially in the current context of Brexit uncertainty, is by providing a strong basis of financial support to primary producers, providing supply chain strengthening mechanisms such as producer organisations and ensuring as broad a range of markets to sell product to as possible.

My Department is also proactively engaging with several potential beef producer organisations, which have to potential to strengthen the bargaining power of beef farmers in the supply chain. Two beef producer organisations have been formally recognised by my Department in recent weeks. I firmly believe that producer organisations constitute an important part of the toolkit in building resilience in the sector by re-balancing power along the supply chain.

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