IFA Meets Dept of Agriculture on EID & Clean Sheep Policy

IFA National Sheep Chairman Sean Dennehy said the lamb trade remains solid with factories paying from €4.75 to €4.80/kg with top prices of €4.85/4.88 paid in recent days.  He said demand remains strong and numbers are expected to tighten as this week progresses.

Sean Dennehy said IFA met senior officials in the Department of Agriculture on EID and the Clean Sheep policy last week.

“IFA made it very clear that Agriculture Minister Michael Creed will have to deal with the issue of increasing costs and charges on sheep farmers. EID is going to cost sheep farmers over €2m pa. The Minister must tackle the increased charges that factories are imposing under the clean sheep policy, as well as the unfair SRM and scrapie charges.”

Sean Dennehy said the Department of Agriculture will have to adapt a more practical approach to the Clean Sheep policy. “Sending lambs home is not on and some of the over-zealous approach by the vets has been very unhelpful.”