Pig farmer members of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) have been holding a rally in Tullamore, Co. Offaly today at the Carroll Cuisine facility in the town.

According to a post on the IFA’s social media, representatives from the company – known for its ham products – came out to meet with and “acknowledge” the protesters.

The association said that the protest is “in a bid to secure a fair price from the processor and to ensure all products sold to retailers are Bord Bia approved”.

Members from several IFA county executives are in attendance today.

Today’s action is billed as ‘IFA National Pig Farmer Rally and Meeting’. It kicked off earlier this afternoon, with participants assembling at Tullamore mart.

The venue of Tullamore was a change from the original plan, which would have seen the event take place in Portlaoise, Co. Laois.

The rally part of the event precedes the meeting, which is due to take place in the Bridge House Hotel at 6:00p.m.

However, the IFA action may continue even after this meeting concludes, the association’s pig chairperson Roy Gallie said in a message circulated to members, in which he called for “full support”.

The action today follows similar actions by IFA pig farmers this year, in response to financial losses.

On April 22, the National Fodder and Food Security Committee – established in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine – heard that pig farmers had lost a total of €54 million since the start of the year up to that point.

According to Teagasc data presented at that meeting, the average 600-sow pig unit had lost €206,000 since the beginning of 2022.

Also in April, the government approved a €13 million support package for the sector, in addition to a previous package this year of €7 million.

This package will include a ‘reduction in production’ provision of 10%, – though it is understood that this does not necessarily refer to pig herd size.

Under this aid package, pig farmers are eligible for a maximum payment of €70,000, subject to conditionality.