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MEMBERSHIP OF BORD BIA’S SBLAS MUST NOT BECOME REQUIREMENT FOR CAP SCHEMES

Jul 5, 2022 | Latest News, Press Releases | 0 comments

ICSA president Dermot Kelleher has said he does not accept the logic around forcing farmers to become members of Bord Bia’s Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) in order to receive CAP payments. “If farmers do not derive any benefit from participation in the scheme, they should not be forced to join it, it is as simple as that,” he said.

“The logic that quantifying the environmentally sustainable activity carried out on farms can only be done through membership of Bord Bia is flawed. This can be done outside of Bord Bia, but not while the main objective seems to be to get as many farmers signed up to the scheme regardless of whether it is of value to them or not.”

“The reality is the majority of suckler farmers are not members of Bord Bia because it is of no benefit to them. The common practice is to sell cull cows and stores in the marts; they do not – for the most part – sell cattle to factories for slaughter, and therefore do not avail of any Bord Bia quality assurance bonuses.”

“There is quite enough bureaucracy in farming without adding unnecessary layers of it. Farmers who sell their stock in the marts – who have no need to be in the scheme – should not be forced to jump through additional hoops for no reason.”

“The requirement essentially creates a sanction for suckler farmers who don’t want to sign up to Bord Bia. We really must question the Department’s logic around this move; are they intentionally trying to create as many barriers as possible to prevent suckler farmers benefitting from the new Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme starting next year?”

“Suckler farmers are already facing reduced payments because of proposed changes to the scheme going forward. The scheme has also been made more complex. When added to the requirement to be a member of Bord Bia it looks very much like the Department are trying to discourage suckler farmers so much that they want to quit the business.”

“Farmers are also very aware that Bord Bia specs go out the window when supplies are tight. If factories looking for cattle can take or leave Bord Bia specs, where is the incentive for farmers to go above and beyond trying to meet them?”

ENDS

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