Fitzmaurice calls on weanling exporters to 'keep cool heads' over mart tensions
Weanling exporters have been urged to keep "cool heads" by the Roscommon-Galway TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, as tensions mount over potential disruption at mart sales this week.
Agriland revealed last Tuesday (September 30) that some Irish-based weanling exporters may consider pausing buying weanlings at marts this coming week.
It is understood a number of export customers for Irish weanlings have expressed frustration at the number of weanlings which have not been dosed or vaccinated before being sold at marts.
Deputy Fitzmaurice, who is Independent Ireland's spokesperson on agriculture, has today (Sunday, October 5) appealed to all sides to engage "constructively and avoid actions that could damage the industry in the long term".
“Solutions can and will be found through sitting down and talking. While there’s no magic bullet to fix everything overnight.
"I would strongly urge exporters to suspend any plans for a boycott and to continue dialogue," he added.
Many marts have also confirmed they are planning to continue weanling sales as normal this week.
Deputy Fitzmaurice has been highly criticial of what he has described “a lack of clarity and honesty” by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in the way they have handled the issues raised by some weanling exporters.
He said that DAFM is “well aware” of efforts that were made to request a meeting last week to bring stakeholders to the table on the issues.
According to Deputy Fitzmaurice a statement issued by DAFM suggesting no formal request had been made for "is disingenuous".
"The reality is that exporters had made clear through the minister and his representatives that such a meeting was needed," he stated.
The Roscommon-Galway TD believes farmers in the west, midlands, and northwest of Ireland are producing “some of the best weanlings in Europe” and warned that undermining the trade would be “a serious blow to rural communities”.
A meeting between a group of weanling export buyers and representatives from Animal Health Ireland (AHI) last Thursday, (October 2) gave the buyers an opportunity to voice their concerns.
A spokesperson for AHI has stressed that "it is committed to working with farmers, vets and the entire agriculture industry to promote the highest standards of health and wellbeing across our livestock sector".
"Healthy animals are the foundation of our multi billion euro and world famous agri food industry," they added.
Separately the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) has also urged weanling exporters to "refrain from any possible disruption of mart sales".
According to Deputy Fitzmaurice it is paramount that there is an acknowledgment from all stakeholders that there are "health concerns, including pneumonia and other illnesses that need to be addressed by vaccinations".
But he believes this should be addressed in coming months and not "by halting trade this week".
The TD said: “Any sickness in animals is devastating for everyone, many farmers as well as exporters are finding the weather isn’t helping either – warm days and cold nights are contributing to some of the problems.
"But these are issues that can be worked out together, rather than through confrontation.”
Fitzmaurice told Agriland that he intends to speak with exporters and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon over the coming days to try to find a resolution.
“This situation can be resolved with a bit of common sense.
"What’s needed now is honesty from the department and co-operation from all sides.
"The last thing anyone wants is to see farmers or exporters suffering because of miscommunication or mistrust,” he said.
