Farmers selling cattle should be extra vigilant at this time to ensure that their payment is secure, the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has warned producers.
IFA National Livestock Committee chairman Brendan Golden underlined the message to farmers at the current time, with marts operating under Covid-19 restrictions and more activity on private farm-to-farm sales as well as increased live exports.
“It’s IFA policy to insist on payment on the day, or ensure that you are selling through an outlet where payment is guaranteed or secure,” he said.
While the marts are not operating as normal, they are providing a valuable service to farmers in most parts of the country.
“The sooner marts can be fully re-opened the better. There is an increased level of direct selling going on and farmers need to be extra vigilant regarding security of payment,” he said.
The chairman said farmers should be extremely careful about payment arrangements before parting with their stock.
Continuing, he explained the best approach for farmers with cattle to sell, noting:
Selling through a local licensed mart where you know your payment is secure, or insisting on payment upfront on the day is the best approach.
Golden said there are too many cases over the years where farmers have been promised payment, but it never materialised or they had to wait a very long time to get their money.