An Irish MEP has called for immediate action to address the “alarming decline” in suckler cow numbers and the significant drop in the incomes of Irish beef farmers.
Ciaran Mullooly, Midlands North West MEP for Independent Ireland, highlighted challenges in the beef sector as he attended the Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show yesterday (Sunday, August 11).
The MEP said that Ireland has seen “a significant reduction” in suckler cow numbers over the past decade, with projections indicating a further decline in the coming years.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) Livestock Survey December 2023 reported that there were 818,600 suckler cows in Ireland at the end of last year, down over 43,000 head when compared to 2022.
That figure has fallen by a further 8,000 head, according to latest data from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system.
Suckler
Mullooly added that the income of beef farmers has also plummeted, with the Teagasc National Farm Survey revealing an average income of just €14,700 per farmer in 2023.
“This decline is not just a threat to our rural communities and the family farm model, but it’s a national economic issue that requires urgent intervention.
“The measures we need to counter this decline are clear and must be implemented without delay,” he said.
The Irish MEP confirmed that he has written to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposing “a number of practical steps that can be taken at a European level”.
In the letter, Mullooly said that the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status should be extended to include Irish suckler cow herds.
“This move would help preserve the identity and heritage of native Irish beef and provide a premium market for these products,” he said.
The MEP called for the immediate appointment of a new EU Agriculture Commissioner to “investigate the dysfunctional beef market in Ireland”.
He said this investigation should be carried out in collaboration with the new Agri-Food Regulator “to ensure fair pricing and sustainability in the sector”.
The letter also calls for greater transparency in retail pricing, in particular “the publication of the percentage of the end product price that goes to producers”.
In addition, Mullooly called on for the introduction of a new direct payment scheme specifically aimed at supporting suckler herd owners.
“This payment would provide much-needed financial stability to farmers and help sustain the suckler herd population in Ireland,” he said.
The MEP urged Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to support the proposed measures outlined in the letter.