Beef
Beef farmers could be "losing up to €168/head" due to the lack of accuracy on mechanical beef grading machines, according to Denis Naughten.
Mechanical grading for carcasses has been suspended twice in 2020, but no factory has been fined for non-compliance in carcass presentation.
The trials of a new cattle grading system in a number of Irish beef processing facilities have demonstrated increased rates of accuracy.
To date in 2019, the Department of Agriculture has conducted 499 unannounced inspections in 32 beef factories in relation to carcass grading.
The future application of new grading machines "will result in a better performance of carcass classification", according to the trial.
The accuracy of beef grading machines has improved by over one third in the past year, according to Denis Naughten.
Agri Politics
Comments made by the IFA regarding a Department of Agriculture beef grading review have been labelled as "self-serving" and "fake news".
The grading system at meat plants has been described as "completely outdated" as they cannot provide "real-time information" to beef farmers.
