A request for tenders for the provision of advisory services to Beef Producer Organisations (POs) was recently published by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed.
This is one of the measures under EU legislation designed to strengthen the position of producers in the food chain, according to the department.
The approval of facilitators for the provision of advice to POs is another important step in the development of POs in the beef sector, Minister Creed explained.
“This procurement competition will result in the approval of facilitators in two key areas.
“Firstly for the provision of advice in farm business planning and beef production planning, and secondly for the provision of advice on the establishment and recognition of a PO as a legal entity – which is a requirement of the EU regulations,” he said.
The request for tenders documentation is expected to appear on the eTenders procurement website in the coming days.
It is hoped that this will allow prospective POs to engage individuals or organisations who can provide the necessary advice to them on the formation and running of a PO, as well as the submission of an application for recognition to the department.
‘Stepping into the unknown’
The provision of this advice is important for those groups of farmers for whom acting collectively will be a step into the unknown, Minister Creed added.
“By engaging facilitators with the necessary skills and experience in these areas, groups of farmers who may be engaging with each other on an informal basis already – through a discussion group for example – will be able to seek the necessary expertise to allow them to act collectively in a more concerted manner in relation to their farm businesses.
The recognition of a PO by my department allows them to negotiate collectively on behalf of their members with processors for the price they receive for animals they supply for slaughter.
“This is a very important step in allowing primary producers to be more than mere price takers, but instead to proactively engage with processors in negotiating the supply and sale price of their cattle,” he said.
Application forms, as well as a checklist of requirements for departmental recognition of POs, along with a guideline for running a beef PO are available online.
Benefits of POs
Minister Creed encouraged farmers to avail of the benefits of POs which have worked successfully in other sectors of the agricultural economy.
Producer Organisations have the potential to be much more than a tool for the negotiation of the sale price for cattle.
“The benefits of a PO can extend to other areas of farmers’ farm business including knowledge transfer.
“I am conscious of the challenges faced by primary producers in the beef sector currently and I strongly believe that POs have an important role to play in allowing producers to strengthen their position in the supply chain and to make a positive contribution to producers’ overall businesses,” he concluded.