The Unfair Trading Practices (UTP) Enforcement Authority (EA) has said that it is working to address the “fear factor” among farmers and suppliers about lodging a complaint.
Just six complaints have been made to the authority, which is tasked with enforcing UTP regulations, since it was established in December 2021.
Five of the complaints were found to be outside the scope of the regulations following an initial assessment by the authority, therefore no enforcement actions were required.
The sixth complaint is currently being assessed to establish if it is within the remit of the authority.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) told Agriland that the authority is “very aware of concerns which farmers/suppliers may have in raising an issue”.
It added that measures have been put in place to encourage engagement with the authority, including webinars and a communications campaign. The authority will also host a stand at the National Ploughing Championships next month.
“In relation to addressing the ‘fear factor’, the EA will use every power available to them, to ensure that any threat or act of retaliation by a buyer arising from a supplier exercising their legal right to make a complaint will result in the strongest possible sanctions against that buyer,” a DAFM spokesperson said.
In May, a survey found a low level of awareness among farmers and suppliers of the UTP regulations.
Half of the primary producers surveyed claimed that they understood the regulations, while 44% of suppliers surveyed had just heard the name.
Only 14% of primary producers surveyed were aware that, as a supplier of agri-food product, they have legal protection against 16 specific unfair trading practices.
For those who felt they had been subjected to an unfair trading practice, the main reason for not raising the issue with the authority is fear of retaliation from the buyer.
There are now four officers working in the EA which was set up as an interim measure until the proposed new Office for Fairness and Transparency in the Agri-Food Supply Chain is established.