IFA Won’t Sign Up to 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.

.
Speaking after a meeting of the group today, 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 and further the 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,” he said.

“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,” he said.

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 said.