The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has called for farmers to be compensated for the “failed” electronic identification (EID) tagging project.
Sean McNamara, the association’s sheep chairperson, said that the “contentious” initiative should be scrapped, and that farmers should be paid back for “being forced to waste money” on tags.
“The feedback I’m getting from factories and marts is that they are not going to install EID tag readers or issue an electronic printout for sheep and lambs presented for slaughter, meaning farmers will still have to fill out dispatch books as normal,” said McNamara.
Farmers have no choice but to EID tag and bear this extra cost for absolutely no reason.
“It is of absolutely no benefit to anyone if EID readers are not compulsory in all marts and factories,” continued McNamara.
He also suggested that what started out as a lack of “appetite” for electronic tagging has now turned to anger among sheep farmers.
“With costs continually rising and incomes falling, there was little appetite among sheep farmers for the introduction of mandatory EID tagging to start with, but anger is setting in at this waste of money now,” claimed McNamara.
In light of this, ICSA is calling on Minister Michael Creed to scrap compulsory EID tagging and compensate farmers for money wasted purchasing tags.
He concluded by saying: “There is no justification for putting this expense on farmers for a system that’s not working.”