The crisis affected bull beef producers will be discussed this week by the Oireachtas Committee of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Scheduled for 2pm tomorrow, the committee will meet with representatives from ICSA Ireland, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, the Irish Farmers’Association and Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association.

Barriers to the live cattle trade between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland will also be debated by the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society, which will make a presentation on the matter.

The committee has also called in representatives from Meat Industry Ireland to discuss the bull beef pricing and specifications changes in more detail.

Meanwhile, an IFA protest outside the Department of Agriculture in Dublin is set for tomorrow in response to its member’s frustration over factory beef price cuts and changing specifications.

According to IFA president, Eddie Downey, the move by the factories to hit prime in-spec steers and heifers with new price and weight cuts last week shows scant disregard for farmer suppliers.