IFA anger at move to give factories ‘the say’ on PGI

IFA President, Tim Cullinan, said that he was ‘astounded’ at some of the Bord Bia proposals for giving Irish Grass Fed Beef, PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status.

In particular, farm representatives are furious that Bord Bia propose a new quality barometer on the beef products would be ‘ruled on’ by a Quality Control Inspector employed by the meat processors.

The role of this inspector would be to ensure that the meat product had ‘a more pronounced cherry red’ with ‘creaminess’ before it be passed for PGI status, according to Tim Cullinan.

“The last thing we need in factories is a new layer of graders to rule on meat colour and ‘creaminess’. The only party that was completely in favour of Bord Bia’s concept was Meat Industry Ireland (MII),” he said.

He also accused Bord Bia of having ‘gone back’ on their commitments to treat all categories of animal the same as they have now banned all young bulls and other categories of animals even if they meet the grass-fed criteria.

“They also appear to have removed the latitude for animals to be indoors for longer in certain circumstances. This may well arise in some years in parts of the country where animals have to be housed earlier due to weather conditions.

“They have also introduced, completely out of the blue, a new transport aspect which would appear to suggest that animals must go to a factory less than two hours away and that a licensed haulier must transport them. This is completely unacceptable,” he said.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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