Sheep Council Report September 2024

1. Market Report 
2. Lamb Price: Spring Lambs are making €7.30kg to €7.60kg on weights to 22kg. Cull Ewe prices are ranging from €4.00 to €4.40kg in general.

• Supplies: Total throughput to date in 2024 is 1,583,127 head which represents a 11% decrease when compared to the same period in 2023.  Spring lamb throughput is running 79,638 head or 13% behind the same period in 2023. Hogget throughput is running 84,044 or back 9% on 2023 figures. Ewe and Ram throughput is running 23,375 head or back -13% from the same period in 2023.

• Market Conditions; Following a number of weeks of downward pressure lamb prices have stabilized. Southern Hemisphere prices remain well below EU prices but they have improved over the last few weeks, narrowing the price differential with the EU. Increased demand from China from southern hemisphere countries has remained subdued but reports of stable demand in ME and the US has helped divert lamb away from our key EU markets. Supplies of lamb will remain somewhat tight in the coming weeks which is also the case across the EU as breeding flock number have fallen in many regions. 
• Live Export: Live sheep exports up to June 30^th 2024 stands at 17,504 head.
• Continued engagement with MII and sheep factory management. 
• Increased QA Bonus: IFA continue to pursue an increase in the QA bonus to 30c/kg and have had discussions with Bord Bia, MII and factory representatives on the issue.
• Farmers are encouraged to sell hard while moving lambs as they become fit.
• IFA publish lamb price updates twice weekly with a comprehensive market report on Friday all of the latest data is available at www.ifa.ie

• Factory meetings
• IFA met with the three major sheep processing plant in July.
• Engaged with processors highlighting the ongoing price concerns.
• IFA highlighted the need for fair pricing to sustain the sheep sector. 
• Discussions on the Dawn meats acquisition of Kildare chilling.

• Agri Food Regulator
• IFA met with the Agri Food Regulator and have sought the provision of significantly more transparency in the food supply chain between the farm gate and the consumer. IFA have called on the regulator to provide detailed analysis of lamb prices at all points in the chain.
• IFA have sought the provision of a more accurate and transparent price reporting mechanism for lamb prices similar to the system that exists for beef prices.

• Activity 
• IFA hosted a lamb producer group meeting in May.
• IFA attended a DAFM meeting on Proposed EU dog and cat regulation on welfare and traceability.
• IFA attended the second meeting of the Dog control stakeholder group in June.
• IFA National sheep committee meeting convened in June.
• IFA sheep committee members met with the three major sheep processing plants in July.
• Attended meetings with Bord Bia in May and June. 
• Attended the small ruminant’s stakeholder meeting in May.
• Sheep committee update meeting convened in July.
• Weekly publication of IFA sheep price updates.

• Dog Control
• IFA Attended the second meeting of the Dog control stakeholder group in June.
• Advancements to date; Banning of certain dog breeds; Targeting neutering scheme to be implemented in 2024.
• IFA set out its key priorities to the group which will be progressed over the lifetime of the group.
• Committee members continue to promote the ‘No Dogs allowed’ campaign in their local regions and have been active lobbying local TD’s and Ministers for increased sanctions for irresponsible dog ownership.
• IFA proposals include;
• A single National Database for all dogs corelating licensing and microchipping and identifying the person responsible for the dog but at a minimum alignment of the existing licensing and microchipping records to one central access point.
• Full enforcement of microchipping and licensing obligations of dog owners for all dogs.
• Stronger powers of enforcement for dog wardens and Gardaí and clarity of these powers.
• Increased on the spot fines for failing to comply with the microchipping and licensing requirements.
• Increased sanctions and on the spot fines for failing to have the dog under control.
• Significant on the spot fines for dogs found worrying livestock.
• Legal requirement for dogs to be microchipped and licensed and identified on the NVPS (National Veterinary Prescribing System) prior to any veterinary treatment or prescribing of medicines by veterinary practitioners.
• Authority to apply the legislative obligations to dogs in border regions owned by persons not resident in the state.

• Budget 2025
• IFA sheep committee have set out it budget 2025 proposals as follows;
• A targeted ewe payment of €30/ewe is vital to encourage generation renewal and to support a positive margin for a low-income sector, particularly in the context of continued uncertainty of operation costs at farm level.
• The National Sheep Welfare Scheme must be extended into 2025 and enhanced to deliver €18 ewe bringing total direct supports for ewes to €30/ewe when the €12/ewe SIS payments are included.
• The current measures in the NSWS are practical and add value for farmers participating in the scheme, these must be retained. Additional measures supporting farmers managing parasite control and lamb performance must be included and supported at a further €10/ewe.
• Measures such as faecal egg counting and weighing of lambs are actions that should be considered to deliver on these objectives and improve the viability of sheep farms. 
• Direct support for the presentation of wool to reduce processing costs and support the value chain for this natural product should also be included in the enhanced NSWS for 2025 and supported separately at a minimum of €4/fleece.
• Hill sheep farming requires additional support recognising the unique challenges faced by these farmers and the critical role farming plays in these areas delivering socio, economic and environmental benefits. Hill sheep farmers must be provided with an additional €10/ewe bringing direct support to €40/ewe.
• Store lamb finishers play a pivotal role in sheep production, maintaining a year-round supply of sheep meat for processors and providing a vital outlet for hill sheep farmers to have their lambs finished. 
• IFA are proposing a direct payment for farmers finishing store lambs to offset production costs and ensure the store lamb sellers are protected from the volatility of the market.
• Government must provide appropriate resources and funding to allow an effective operational Dog Warden service in every county with staffing levels that ensure enforcement of the obligations of dog owners.

• Sheep Improvement Scheme
• 18,627 applications have made applied to the scheme accounting for 1.9m ewes.
• IFA successfully secured an amendment to the Genotyped ram action allowing farmers to choose an alternative year if unable to secure a 4/5 star ram in the year nominated. 
• IFA are seeking changes to the retention period in the scheme.
• Payments will be issued to farmers in November 2024.

• National Sheep Welfare scheme.
• IFA secured €15m for a new sheep scheme for 2024.
• The scheme will pay participants €8/ewe bringing the total direct support for sheep farmers to €20/ewe. Payments are available for over 1.87m ewes.
• The scheme is based on two categories of actions, with two actions within each category all costed at €4/ewe with participants selecting one action from each category to receive the full €8 payment.
• Category 1 actions are shearing or Body Condition Scoring with the category 2 actions providing the option to select clostridial vaccination or plunge dipping. 
• Payments will be issued to farmers in December 2024.

•  Review of Bord Bia Origin Green Producer Standard
• IFA continue to engage with Bord Bia on the Origin Green Producer Standard review. 
• IFA have raised concerns at the direction of travel of the Bord Bia proposals in relation to all elements of the standard and of the inspection process.
• Further direct engagement with Bord Bia on the issue is planned.
• IFA are demanding a simplified more farmer friendly audit process to reduce the burden of the scheme on farmers.

1. Wool
2. IFA continues to pursue the inclusion of shearing as an action in the new Sheep Improvement Scheme to offset the huge losses incurred for this farm practise. 
3. It costs approx. €8 to present a 3kg fleece rolled and packed on a farm. Costing farmers over €21m annually. Shearing costs must be directly supported to incentivise farmers carrying out this vital health and welfare measure and to ensure wool is presented in optimum condition for future added value use.

1. Early-stage support for producer organisations
2. IFA continues to engage with DAFM on the new scheme.
3. IFA has demanded all existing lamb producer groups are eligible for this support.