'£8/kg is a realistic farmgate beef price' - Farmers for Action

“And the equivalent price for milk should be in the range 55 to 60 pence per litre,” added FFA spokesperson, William Taylor.

He continued: “These returns will cover all relevant production costs while also allowing farmers to invest in the future of their businesses.

According to the FFA representative, farmgate returns of this magnitude will not put consumers off buying beef and dairy products in the shops.

He further explained: “Shoppers did not reduce their dairy purchases on the back of the significant rise in producer milk prices witnessed in 2022.

“So there is genuine scope to increase farmgate milk prices with immediate effect.”

FFA bases its producer milk price demands on the back of figures generated by the European Milk Board.

William Taylor again: “Beef price trends are easier to monitor. Traditionally beef and lamb returns tracked each other. But that link was broken, for no good reason, a number of years ago.

“Today, sheep farmers are receiving £8/kg for their lambs: farmgate beef prices should be coming in at the same level.”

FFA is claiming that corporate food retailers, food wholesalers and food processors are wreaking havoc on the rural economy of Northern Ireland. This is due solely to the very poor prices that farmers continue to receive for their produce.

William Taylor commented: “These organisations are behaving completely without regard for whether family farmers have enough money to pay their bills or even buy their groceries on a weekly basis. Many farmers have already part-time or full-time jobs off the farm.

“What’s more, government subsidies are now only worth half of what they were 20 years ago in real terms.”

FFA sees the introduction of the organisation’s Farm Welfare Bill as the only solution that will address the crisis facing production agriculture at the present time.

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“The proposed legislation is the only mechanism, which will deliver farmers guaranteed prices that cover all production costs while also allowing these businesses to invest in their futures,” William Taylor commented.

According to FFA, the more that farming family members earn in off-farm incomes to subsidise their farm, the more the corporate food processors take advantage by adjusting farm gate prices accordingly.

Commenting on the General Election campaign, William Taylor highlighted the absolute lack of discussion on the matter of food security.

He added: “This is, possibly, the most fundamental issue facing society throughout the UK at the present time.

“Here in Northern Ireland the only political organisation flagging up the issue of food security is the Ulster Unionist Party.”

In terms of its own General Election wish list, FFA is calling for Northern Ireland’s annual farm support budget to be doubled from the current £300M figure to £600M.

William Taylor concluded: “This takes account of the fact that farm budgets have not been increased, in any sense, for 17 years.

“It is also imperative that future farm support expenditure is inflation proofed.”