THOUSANDS OF BEEF farmers gathered outside the Department of Agriculture in Dublin earlier today to voice their anger about cuts to beef prices paid to them in recent months.

Addressing the protest today, President of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Eddie Downey said Simon Coveney’s Food Harvest 2020 plan is “failing beef farmers”, who face losses up to €175 million this year of prices are not restored.

“The minister must reject the factory cuts and specification changes and act immediately to address labelling and live export issues that are curtailing competition and the movement of stock to our key markets, including Northern Ireland and the UK,” he told the crowds. “The sector needs stability and confidence to be restored without any further delay”.

Some bull beef finishers are at their wits end, unable to get cattle killed. When they do sell them, they are facing price cuts of 50c/kg plus, ranging from €200 to €300 per head. These farmers are facing very real and very substantial financial losses this spring.