IFA Animal Health Chairman Pat Farrell said the knackery situation is at a critical stage and it requires urgent action by the Minister and his officials.
“Farmers cannot be left without a service. We need Minister Creed to step up and sort out the deadlock that exists,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture is legislatively bound to ensure an efficient and competitive infrastructure is available to all farmers. The current infrastructure, through the licensed knackeries, is failing to deliver this service.
“The scheme announced last night fails to reduce the costs of disposal for farmers and its voluntary nature doesn’t provide a guaranteed collection service for all farmers,” he said.
Pat Farrell said the Department of Agriculture has protected the interests of the three rendering plants and licensed knackeries at the expense of farmers.
The IFA Chairman set out two key principles for the Department of Agriculture to address: a reduction in collection charges and guarantee of collection.
“The Department of Agriculture has not addressed these issues. The scheme must be revisited as a matter of urgency,” he said.
