The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has said that it will work with the new Agri-Food Regulator, but that it “still has misgivings” over whether the office will have enough power and funding.
Yesterday (Tuesday, November 29), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced that Cabinet had approved the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022, which will establish An Rialtóir Agraibhia (The Agri-Food Regulator).
Speaking today, ICSA president Dermot Kelleher said that the office “must deliver on its promise of fairness and transparency for the meat sector”.
“The establishment of this important office has been a long time coming and beef and lamb producers in particular will be looking to this office to lift the veil around who gets what along the food chain.
“We know both the processors and the retailers are making massive profits while beef and lamb producers are losing money. The whole system has been flawed for a very long time, with primary producers having little or no information about how much profit is being made off their backs,” Kelleher added.
He said that the process of establishing an office of this type “has been a long and drawn-out process”.
According to the ICSA president, the new office has come about as a result of “consistent and effective lobbying at both Irish and EU level”.
“We still have misgivings about whether the Agri-Food Regulator has been given enough power or funding, but we will work with the office to achieve fair play for primary producers in the drystock sector,” Kelleher added.
Announcing Cabinet approval for the new office yesterday, Minister McConalogue said the Agri-Food Regulator will “shine a light on the sector to help improve the position of the primary producer and it will also bring greater transparency and fairness”.
According to the minister, the regulator will promote and enforce the principles of fairness and transparency for agri-food suppliers.