The government’s proposed new agri-food regulator could amount to a “toothless tiger”, an independent TD has claimed.
Deputy Michael McNamara, who is also a barrister and farmer, has proposed several amendments to the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022 in advance of its anticipated passage through the Dáil next week.
Although welcoming the establishment of a regulator for the food chain, the Clare TD stressed the need for the new office to be given “explicit power to increase transparency”.
“At it stands it will be a toothless tiger, reduced to merely studying and reporting data already in the public domain.
“There’s some transparency in what producers get paid and plenty in what consumers pay but little transparency in between, in particular in the murky relationship between processors and retailers,” McNamara said.
Regulator
“I am proposing an amendment requiring a lot more reporting by processors, in particular in regard the discounts and bonuses paid for both in-spec and out-of-spec cattle and what processors are being paid by retailers and any conditionality, specifically, around age demanded by the retailers.
“This needs to be taken out of the shadows and light shone on it for the benefit of everybody in the food chain,” the TD added.
This proposal is based on a similar amendment passed by the US Congress in response to concerns about the power of processors there.
A separate amendment submitted by the TD, mirroring a Spanish law, calls for the new regulator to work with Teagasc to determine the cost of production for basic food items and ban retailers from below cost selling.
“While I accept there may be much wringing of hands by department officials about such a measure, if it’s lawful and can be done in Spain to protect their producer, it’s lawful and can be done here,” McNamara said.
Another amendment tabled by the TD states that the new regulator should prevent the practice of unsold produce being returned without payment, which he said is “crippling the Irish horticultural sector”.
Deputy McNamara criticised the limited time of one hour being allocated to debate the bill next week.
“It is regrettable that the government has taken this approach. Farmers and food producers have waited this long, another hour or two would hardly make much difference if it meant that the Bill was improved,” he said.