The current factory beef prices of €6.00/kg and and above in cases that are being secured by beef farmers have been described as “most welcome” by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) Beef Committee chair, John Cleary.
He said the farm organisation is “very much confident beef prices will be stronger in 2025” but highlighted “the stubbornly significant price differential between Irish farm gate prices and UK [beef] prices” and said this in an area the ICSA will be focusing on.
As of December 14, 2024, the average Irish R3 steer price was €5.54/kg which was 99c/kg below the UK equivalent price of €6.53.
The ICSA beef chair highlighted some of the other key issues the farm organisation will be prioritising in 2025.
Cleary said that all stakeholders involved in Irish agriculture are “deeply concerned” about the growing Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) situation.
“Many farmers are suffering hugely, both financially and mentally and there seems to be no end in sight to eradicate bTB. The ICSA is hugely committed to working with all partners to make inroads on this project,” he added.
He said that beef farmers have “massive concerns about the dwindling suckler herd” and said that the drop of near 50,000 head in suckler calf registrations “is very concerning”.
According to the ICSA beef chair: “Current supports are simply not working for suckler farmers and we have and will continue to lobby for more simplistic schemes up to a maximum of 100 cows per farm”.
Cleary stressed that the main item on the ICSA agenda is the Mercosur trade deal and said that the farm organisation met the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue just before Christmas on the issue of Mercosur.
He said the minister “assured us that the Irish government will fight to stop this deal” and explained that the ICSA “urgently requested that the Irish Government become more vocal and align with other likeminded European countries and do whatever it takes to stop it”.
“The continued efforts of the Agri-Food Regulator in providing full transparency in all aspects of the beef industry is a must for Irish farmers.
“We welcome the announcement of publishing weekly factory values as a first step. We as an organisation will continue our engagement with this office.”
Concluding, Cleary said: “2024 put simply was slow to get moving, but gathered momentum as time went along.
“Farmgate prices, input costs and challenging weather were the main talking points in early 2024, but thankfully matters improved as the year rolled along.
“It is with this optimism that Irish farmers hope 2025 will be better across all sectors going forward.
“Agriculture first and foremost has to give a sustainable return to encourage the next generation of farmers. While some work has been achieved, much more needs to done.”
“ICSA will continue to fight for a sustainable living for the dry-stock sector.”