Sinn Féin MEP for Midlands Northwest, Chris MacManus recently met with members of an Irish farm organisation to discuss pressing issues currently affecting farmers in Co. Donegal, including the prices paid to beef and lamb producers.
McManus met with Donegal Irish Farmer’s Association (IFA) representatives Joe Sweeney and Tom McMenamin and said such enagement was “vital” for his work at the European Parliament.
Speaking following the engagement with Donegal IFA, MacManus said: “Today’s meeting was useful. We covered a number of topics relevant to Donegal farmers including beef and lamb prices as well as concerns around processing”.
The meeting with Donegal IFA representatives was part of a week-long engagement for MacManus with stakeholders in the agriculture sector that included meetings with Sligo and Longford IFA representatives and Leitrim organic farmers.
The Sinn Féin MEP also visited Ballinasloe Mart, Ballyhaise Agriculture College and a number of farm visits across his constituency.
MacManus said: “As a member of the committee on Agriculture and Rural Development in the European Parliament, I will always do my utmost to represent farmers in rural Ireland to the best of my abilities.
“In Sinn Féin we believe that the family farm model is the beating heart of our rural communities. We want to stand up for those farmers” he added.
Beef prices
Beef prices were also discussed by the IFA livestock chair, Brendan Golden, who said factories are still not reflecting the strength of the market in returns to farmers, despite prices moving up this week.
Golden said: “Demand for beef in our key export markets in the lead up to the Christmas trade has been very firm, creating strong demand for Irish beef.
“Factories are currently filling orders for this market and with supplies of suitably finished in spec cattle tight, prices must move on to reflect the full value of this market,” he said.
Base prices for steers are now making from €4.75/kg to €4.85/kg, while heifers are making from €4.80kg to €4.90kg, with higher deals for larger and specialised lots.
The IFA livestock chair said factories are having to pay up to 10c/kg above quotes to secure cattle this week and added that “beef farmers should sell hard as factory demand is outstripping supplies”.