Certified Irish Angus has announced the details of its off-season price bonus for 2024. The price bonus is available on all eligible pre-booked Angus cattle.
According to Certified Irish Angus, an off-season price bonus of 25c/kg will be available on all eligible Angus cattle, at all ABP and Kepak sites.
In order to avail of the bonus, cattle must be pre-booked with Certified Irish Angus by Monday, January 22.
The price bonus will be available for eligible cattle slaughtered between Monday, April 1, and Friday, June 7.
This off-season bonus will be paid in addition to the Quality Price System (QPS) bonus which ranges from 12-20c/kg/animal, and any other scheme bonuses the animal may be eligible for.
Booking forms are available from the Certified Irish Angus website, or by telephoning 046-9242820.
Farmers who are interested in availing of the price bonus should complete an application form, which is available by contacting Certified Irish Angus.
Members can also book in their cattle via the members online farmer portal.
Commenting on the announcement, Certified Irish Angus general manager, Charles Smith said: “We are delighted to announce details of this substantial bonus which is on offer to our members, allowing them to make plans for spring 2024 with confidence.
“The bonus will provide an opportunity for members – helping them to offset the additional feed and fertiliser costs that are currently being experienced, and enable them to plan their spring beef production with additional certainty.”
Applicants that have an Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Herd Plus account will be provided with details of the terminal index of each animal as they make their online booking, allowing them to assess the benefits of using better Angus genetics.
Angus PGI status
In other Angus cattle breed news, last November, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) published an application for a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for Certified Irish Angus Beef.
An update published November 24, confirmed: “An application for a PGI was received from the Certified Irish Angus Producer Group for ‘Certified Irish Angus Beef‘. The geographical area covered by the application is the island of Ireland.”
A Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is the name given to a product which is produced, processed or prepared in a geographical area where a specific quality reputation, or other characteristics are attributable to that area.
If, after assessment of any opposition received, the DAFM as the competent authority for Ireland, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as the competent authority for Northern Ireland, consider that the requirements are met, a favourable decision may be taken, and the applications can be lodged with the European Commission.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue thanked the Certified Irish Angus Producer Group “for their work in bringing forward this application for a PGI for their product”.
He said: “I am delighted that the application has progressed to this stage, and I am aware of the significant amount of work that has been undertaken to date,” he said.
“I am particularly pleased about the all-island basis of this application. It follows the all-island application for the Irish Grass-Fed Beef PGI.
“This joint application demonstrates the strong ongoing cooperation between my Department and their counterparts in Northern Ireland on agricultural matters,” Minister McConalogue said.
This application is separate to the PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef application.