The Mandatory Beef Price Transparency Bill 2019 was published by Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture Brian Stanley today, Tuesday, August 27.
According to the TD, the bill will “provide much-needed transparency for Irish farmers with regards to beef pricing through the establishment of a beef market observatory which will report on cattle prices on a daily basis”.
“The bill which we have produced will go some way to providing much-needed transparency,” deputy Stanley said, adding that it will provide for the “establishment of a reliable source of data on the prices being received for beef products right throughout the supply chain”.
The minister will be mandated to establish a beef market observatory which will report on the price of cattle per kilogram, the live weight, the dressed weight, the quality grade, and of any premiums or discounts associated with the transaction.
“Without this basic information the entire beef industry lacks credibility and leaves open the possibility of price exploitation.”
Deputy Stanley reiterated calls for Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, to reconvene beef sector stakeholder talks.
Continuing, the TD for Laois said: “A huge frustration being expressed by beef farmers right now is due to the failure of the meat industry to provide any transparency on their margins or the prices they can secure for beef on the export market.
“Beef farmers right now have very little information on which to determine whether or not they are being given a fair price for a carcass. How is that fair?
The current lack of transparency plays into the hands of the processors who are taking advantage of the situation.
“We need to see farmers being given a sustainable price for their beef and we hope that this piece of legislation will help to achieve that.”