The Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, today announced the full details of the cattle testing or purchase for destruction scheme to apply from 8th January. The measures had been negotiated at EU level late last year in the context of the BSE related difficulties facing the beef sector and were designed to restore consumer confidence in beef and to provide an effective floor to the market for cattle. As an additional precautionary measure on top of Ireland's acknowledged BSE controls, all cattle over thirty months of age destined for human consumption must be tested for BSE.
Animals over thirty months of age which have not gone a BSE test, may be offered for destruction by any producer at any one of 18 participating beef slaughter plants which have met the departments control conditions for the scheme. In order to ensure the effective operation of the scheme, the Minister has said that an additional 5 percent will be added to the basic prices for steers and heifers. This will mean in effect that the price for R3 grade animals will be at 91 pence per pound. The IFA have welcomed the today's move. President Tom Parlon said the IFA will do all in its power to encourage the maximum testing and continuation of commercial beef market sales. However, The ICMSA, while welcoming the Minister's decision to pay an extra 5 percent, the organisations president Pat O'Rourke said the scheme was flawed as it does not include a similar 5 percent add-on for cows.
