The Beef Taskforce has been officially wound up in its current format. However, a new beef stakeholder forum will be put in place, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said.
Minister McConalogue has today (Monday, November 29) published a report on the work of the beef taskforce submitted to him by the independent chairperson, Michael Dowling.
The report details the progress made by the taskforce in fulfilling its remit of monitoring the implementation of the actions under the September 2019 Beef Sector Agreement.
“I am pleased to publish the report of the chair of the Beef Taskforce. I am satisfied with the group’s work in monitoring and progressing the implementation of the actions agreed by stakeholders in the agreement of September 15, 2019.
“I take this opportunity to thank the chair for his dedication and diligence in progressing this important work, and to thank all taskforce members for their consistent, constructive engagement in the process,” the minister said.
According to the minister, the Beef Sector Agreement led to “immediate financial benefits and improvements to conditions of sale for farmers and subsequent strategic actions for the benefit of the sector”.
Some of the developments that were overseen by the taskforce (with often mixed reactions from farm organisations) include:
- The establishment of a suckler brand development oversight group and the allocation by Bord Bia of up to €6 million over a three-year period to progress the development of a suckler brand;
- “Significant input” into the application for PGI status for ‘Irish Grass Fed Beef’, which was submitted to the European Commission in November 2020;
- Three market transparency reports conducted by professional services firm Grant Thornton;
- “Additional price transparency” through enhancement of the Beef Pricewatch App; development of the Bord Bia benchmark price tracker; and EU market transparency rules;
- A review of the effect of prices on the quality payment system and a review of the hot and cold weighing systems by Teagasc.
“In submitting the report, the Beef Taskforce chair also outlined his recommendations in relation to the future of stakeholder engagement in the sector. Mr. Dowling advised that it is his view, and the shared view of the majority of the members of the Taskforce, that the group has fulfilled its remit,” Minister McConalogue explained.
“For this reason, I have accepted the chair’s recommendation that the Beef Taskforce in its current format be wound up,” he added.
However, the minister also said: “I absolutely agree with the chair’s additional recommendation that we need ongoing stakeholder engagement on the key strategic issues facing the sector, and I will be putting arrangements in place to establish a new strategic forum for the sector.”