One of the country’s leading farm organisations has warned that the dispute between the knackeries and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine cannot be resolved “by passing the problem – and the cost – onto the farmers”.
Lorcan McCabe, the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), welcomed the announcement today, Tuesday, March 3, from the Agricultural Collectors’ Association (ACA) that knackeries would resume collections of fallen animals while talks take place with the department.
“While it may be too early to assume that all matters have been resolved fully, the decision represents progress, and a realisation on the part of both the knackeries and the department that the ongoing dispute was causing disruption and anxiety to an already pressurised farming sector,” McCabe said.
Invariably, in a dispute like this, a solution will be reached by genuine talks and compromise. Farmers become very frustrated indeed where they end up as the ‘meat-in-a-sandwich’ in arguments between other parties in the agricultural sector.
“We’re vehemently opposed to any idea that – where two non-farmer elements disagree and they compromise by agreeing – the increased cost should be passed onto the farmers,” McCabe added.
“ICMSA welcomes the fact that the dispute looks likely to be resolved, but the bill for that resolution had better not be presented to farmers. We are already paying more than the sufficient fees for fallen animal collection and this deal – at whatever stage it is – had better not be built on the idea that we’ll be paying a cent more,” the ICMSA deputy president concluded.
Knackeries announcement
Knackeries across the country resumed services and are open for business today, the ACA confirmed earlier.
A spokesperson for the knackery representative group confirmed the news to AgriLand this morning.
In a brief statement, the representative said: “Fallen animal collection services will resume this morning with knackeries open for usual deliveries and collections.”
The news follows an emergency meeting held between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the knackery representative group yesterday afternoon from 2:00pm in department offices.