Ulster Farmers’ Union President Ian Marshall met Irish Farmers’ Association President Eddie Downey this week in Dublin for a wide ranging discussion on topics of mutual interest to the two organisations.
Speaking after the meeting, UFU President Ian Marshall said: “As we are now into the higher cost winter period for most of our livestock enterprises, the continuing squeeze on farm incomes was top of our agenda. Farmers on both sides of the border are experiencing dramatic adverse impacts on their incomes as reductions in farm gate prices, across the majority of farming enterprises, coupled with increased costs are pushing many farm businesses into a position where they will be making significant losses.
“On beef prices, the Union was pleased to see results starting to emerge from the IFA’s recent protest action with farm gate prices starting to increase and the gap between Irish and UK prices closing somewhat. There is absolutely no benefit to NI beef farmers if southern processors continue to resist increasing the price they pay their farmer suppliers for Irish cattle and then use that product to undercut already finely balanced markets,” he continued.
The increased volatility and downturn in prices in global dairy markets was also a key concern for both Presidents. “We were both very aware of just how damaging the combination of the Russian ban on dairy products, increased supplies of milk from almost all of milk producing regions of the world, and the reluctance of milk product buyers to commit to longer term contracts in a falling market has been to the farm gate price of milk produced across the whole of Ireland. We are calling on both dairy processors and Governments, on both sides of the border, to redouble their efforts to access new markets for the high quality dairy products produced in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and in the meantime to focus on how both National and EU Governments can cushion the worst of the price reductions for primary producers,” he added.
On a more positive note both Presidents were encouraged by the steady improvements in animal health, noting the progress made towards Officially Brucellosis Free (OBF) status for both Northern and Southern Ireland, and the significant progress on production diseases, particularly around the eradication of BVD. Progress in dealing with Bovine Tuberculosis remains elusive with the Departments on both sides of the border taking different approaches to dealing with the problem and eradication of this difficult and costly disease still appearing to be a long way off.
Ian Marshall concluded: “Whilst we fully understand the depth and impact of the current issues, we were both agreed that the longer term prospects for food production in a part of the world with a temperate climate, adequate supplies of water, and an image and reputation for producing high quality food in a clean and green environment continue to be strongly positive. The demand for quality food from a growing and increasingly discerning global consumer population is a great base on which primary producers can build much more sustainable businesses, both in the North and South of the island.”
