There are a number of issues in the EU’s animal transport proposals which will pose “significant challenges” for Ireland’s dairy and beef sectors, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has said.
The European Commission last week proposed to implement legislation which would see a minimum age of five weeks and minimum weight 50kg for unweaned calves to be transported.
These rules must fully take into account Ireland’s “unique” geographical circumstances, the minister told a meeting of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council.
There will also be a journey of nine hours maximum for animals transported for slaughter under the commission’s proposals.
Animal transport
The proposed rules must consider the right of Irish businesses to have the same full access to the single market as operators in other EU member states, Minister McConalogue said.
“Substantial transition periods” are necessary and Ireland cannot accept proposals which would “effectively exclude” Irish businesses from the single market, he told the meeting and added:
“The primary objective of the revision of the legislation should be the continued facilitation of high welfare intra-community trade and export of live animals.”
Minister McConalogue said Ireland strongly supports the revision of European rules on animal welfare during transport and that the proposals are a “good basis” for further discussion.
During the council meeting yesterday (Monday, December 11), EU agriculture ministers received information from the European Commission about the animal welfare package.
EU council
During the council meeting of EU agriculture ministers, member states also reflected on the first year of the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans (CSP).
Assessing the role of farmers in climate action, he said: “The first year of CSP implementation in Ireland indicates that adequately supporting environmental actions leads to a high level of uptake.
“It is clear that farmers are willing to play their important role in contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the CAP, provided that adequate support is available to them.”
Ireland agrees that the resources within the CAP cannot be the only instrument of response to the needs of the EU, and that other sources of funding must be mobilised, he added.
The main market challenge for Irish farmers is, and will continue to be, high input and production costs, especially in relation to energy, feed and fertilisers, Minister McConalogue said.
“Input prices have remained high in 2023 after extraordinary increases in 2022 and while there are signs of improvement, prices are remaining above 2021 and 2022 levels,” he told the meeting.