Farmers have returned to picketing local meat factories.

They began protesting yesterday evening at Dawn Meats in Grannagh, County Kilkenny and at an ABP plant in Ferrybank, and remain there this morning.

Beef farmers held pickets nationwide earlier this month over the prices they were getting for their animals.

The minister for agriculture had said last week that talks aimed at ending the dispute had been successful.

But those protesting at ABP in Ferrybank told WLR that many farmers remain unhappy.

Where previously it was just cattle prevented from entering the factories, these farmers say the new pickets are aiming to stop all lorries passing through the gates.

The protests from earlier this month had been led by the Beef Plan Movement, but the campaign group has no official involvement in the new pickets.

The protesters describe themselves as “independent farmers”.

They say the negotiations were not successful in many crucial areas, including imported beef.

RESPONSE FROM MEAT INDUSTRY IRELAND

Meat Industry Ireland (MII) said today that it is very disappointing that protests have resumed at a small number of beef processing sites since yesterday afternoon. Significant efforts have been made in talks between processors and farm organisations over the last fortnight; progress was made on a number of issues raised by farm representatives as well as agreement for ongoing work on several other areas which, if allowed to conclude, should be positive for beef producers. Protests should not pre-empt the outcomes of this work and neither should they undermine it.

Obviously beef price remains a major talking point since the conclusions of the beef talks last week but beef price was not and could not be discussed during these talks. Furthermore, price is determined by conditions in the market at present which are acknowledged by all as being extremely challenging. There simply isn’t more in the marketplace right now. Shooting the messenger by targeting processors will not solve the problems that the sector faces at present.

Peaceful protest is a right of all, but any disruption of normal processing activity which impacts businesses, staff and farmer suppliers is unacceptable and will only do further damage in an already difficult trading environment. Furthermore, the week ahead sees the commencement of a round of important processing plant inspections by a Chinese official delegation with a view to approving more beef plants for export to China. This is a positive for the entire sector, and any plant disruptions should not be turned into an “own goal”.