Beef crisis: Economist to undertake root-and-branch investigation of beef sector

A wide-ranging review of the beef sector is being undertaken by the IFA in reaction to growing concerns about the viability of suckler beef farming.
The Association's national council has approved a new investigation of the beef sector with a brief to establish "if there is money in it and where it is" as producer incomes plummet.
Economist and consultant, Jim Power, is being commissioned to carry out the root-and-branch analysis, from farm to factories and retailers, to trace the cash flow.
The role of Bord Bia, which is being funded to the tune of €40m a year from the sector, will also be analysed.
The IFA move is also being interpreted as a response to the growing momentum of the Beef Plan Group, headed by former IFA national livestock committee member, Eamon Corley (Meath).
The group, which has registered as a company over recent days, has targeted a membership of 40,000 with current membership being put at 15,000.
The group claims to have the support of seven breed societies and aim to have county committees in place in most counties over the coming months.
Meetings were held in counties Clare and Donegal last week with attendances of up to 400 reported to have included a good percentage of young farmers who feel disillusioned by the current state of the sector.