ICSA Suckler chair Jimmy Cosgrave has said ICSA stands firmly with the Pedigree Breeders Council of Ireland in its decision to pass a vote of no confidence in the board of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF). “ICSA also lacks confidence in ICBF, as well as Teagasc on this issue, due to their persistent failure to acknowledge and address the valid concerns of suckler farmers regarding the star rating system,” he said.
“For far too long, ICBF and Teagasc have failed to engage meaningfully with farmers on the serious issues arising from the current genetic evaluations. Their reluctance to act on the well-documented shortcomings of the star rating system has cost suckler farmers dearly. Many have suffered substantial financial losses as a direct result of misguided policies and flawed evaluations. Worse still, the Irish suckler herd has lost some of its best genetics due to a system that has actively undermined proven, high-performing bloodlines.”
Mr Cosgrave said commitments from both ICBF and Teagasc to address some of these concerns are too long overdue and may even be too little too late. “Confidence in the entire breeding evaluation framework has been severely damaged and suckler farmers feel very wronged.”
In addition, Mr Cosgrave said the impact of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) needs to be closely examined. “The economics of suckler farming have been hanging in the balance for the past 10 years due to a series of flawed policies. While SCEP was intended to support farmers, only a fraction saw it as a worthwhile scheme to join, and even fewer remain, and of those who do, many are dissatisfied.
This is because at the core of the scheme are flawed genetic evaluations that force farmers to cull top-performing cows simply because they do not meet arbitrary star rating requirements. This is unacceptable, as it ignores the real-world performance of these animals. Our best breeding cows are producing high-quality calves for export – why should farmers sign up for a scheme that penalises their success? It is clear that Minister Heydon must now sit down with all farm organisations to conduct a full review of the SCEP scheme and address the fundamental flaws that are driving farmers away.
It is also time for ICBF and Teagasc to recognise that they cannot continue to ignore the very people who rely on these systems for the future of their livelihoods. Immediate action is needed to restore trust and ensure that breeding policies genuinely serve the best interests of Irish suckler farmers and the long-term sustainability of the sector.”
ENDS
