June 18th, 2010

ICMSA seek appeals system for farmers dissatisfied with cattle grades

The Chairman of ICMSA's Beef & Cattle Committee, Kevin Connolly, has called on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to immediately review the operation and inspections procedures for the grading system in meat plants and provide an effective appeals system for those farmers not happy with the grades given their cattle.  Mr Connolly said that the results of all inspections should be published, as is currently done in relation to milk testing in dairy processing plants, and upon completion of the review the Department should then brief the farm organisations and meat plants on the new procedures that will be put in place aimed at ensuring that farmers receive the proper grade for their cattle.   

The ICMSA Beef Chairman pointed out that when complaints were made about grading following the introduction of the new price grid, they were dismissed out of hand by the Department and others, but those complaints have now been found to be credible. Mr Connolly acknowledged the position adopted by Dawn Meats on this matter and their prompt decision to compensate the farmers affected.   

The immediate priority now must be the review of the operation and inspection procedures for grading machines and this, pointed out Mr Connolly, is the direct responsibility of the Department and with this in mind, the Minister should arrange a meeting between the farm organizations and meat processors under the auspices of his Department to agree a code of practice governing the operation and calibration of the mechanical graders and the publication of departmental inspection results.   

"ICMSA repeats its call for an appeals procedure. At the time of the introduction of the grading machines ICMSA sought an appeals system but this was rejected by the Department who claimed that the machines were effectively foolproof. This is obviously not the case so an appeals procedure must be agreed and implemented without delay", he stated.

"The QPS beef price grid was introduced based on what now stands revealed as a questionable grading system and people can say what they like but they cannot expect farmers to sell cattle under a suspect system of grading. The obvious way forward here is for the meat plants to give farmers the option of selling off the grid - if they so wish", he concluded.

Ends      18 June 2010.

Kevin Connolly, 087-9381173
Chairperson, ICMSA Beef & Cattle Committee

Or

Cathal MacCarthy, 061-314677 or 087-6168758
ICMSA Press OfficeI

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