Department Must Re-visit Rule Changes Which Are Imposing Extra Costs on Farmers for Fallen Animals

IFA Animal Health Chairman John Waters has called on the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney to immediately revisit the anti-competitive 125km maximum distance requirement in the subsidy scheme for the collection of over 48 month old animals.

He said despite IFA highlighting to the Department of Agriculture the impact this measure would have on the cost of collection of fallen animals for farmers, Department officials have imposed the maximum distance.

As a result both knackeries and renderers are taking advantage of the situation to increase charges for the collection and disposal of fallen animals and farmers are being left to carry these costs.

The IFA Chairman said some knackeries are already using this situation to quote price increases of up to €50 an animal and are blaming the new rules imposed by the Department of Agriculture for the cost increases. “This level of price increase is based on claims that rendering costs are being increased by €50/t. It is obvious both knackeries and renderers are taking advantage to profiteer off the back of farmers.”

It is not acceptable that a decision would remove competition and expose farmers to unnecessary cost increases in an area that is already lacking in real competition in some areas.

John Waters said the entire animal collection and disposal system in Ireland must be reviewed, and farmers must be able to access a system of disposal that is competitively priced.