18th December 2014

ICSA beef chairman Edmond Phelan has told the first meeting of the Food Strategy 2025 Committee that profitability must be the key focus.

“There is no point in increasing food production if the primary producers cannot make a profit,” said Mr. Phelan. “None of these food companies would exist without farmers to supply them, and farmers must get a fair share of the returns.”

“The focus on output cannot be allowed to distract from the need for farming to be viable. That’s why ICSA believes that increased profit should be the yardstick for any strategy. It is clear that the current returns from beef and sheep are not sustainable and this has started to really come into focus as EU supports fall for many farmers. Already the loss of REPS and cuts to DAS payments are hitting drystock farmers severely, and for many, the coming years will bring a reduction in Single Payment as well. It really is time for the entire agri-food sector to wake up to reality,” concluded Mr. Phelan.