Northern Ireland Red Meat Industry Task Force

The Northern Ireland Red Meat Task Force (DARD, LMC, UFU, NIMEA, Invest NI and NBA) is working to develop a long-term strategy for the Northern Ireland beef and sheepmeat industry. 

The work will involve a comprehensive investigation of all aspects of the Northern Ireland red meat chain - the challenge for the Red Meat Task Force is to determine how a profitable and sustainable industry can be achieved.  The research will include all aspects of production, processing and marketing and a comprehensive involvement across all of the industry interests. Input will be sought from the full range of industry stakeholders (producers, processors and the market). This phase of the project is due for completion in summer 07. 

An agreed industry strategy will be formulated along with an implementation plan which will be published in the early autumn 2007. The outcomes will be communicated throughout the industry.

Chairman of LMC, Owen Brennan, “We need to get a better understanding of the red meat industry in Northern Ireland and how we can all work together for the future. This industry can only prosper if it makes financial sense to continue in business right across the supply chain. On the basis of the current lack of profitability at farm level, it is likely that the work which we are embarking upon will result in recommendations for significant change and while we cannot predict the outcome of the work, we need to find solutions that move us from the unsustainability of our current setup.”

President of the UFU, Kenneth Sharkey, “The Northern Ireland beef and sheep industries are at a cross roads. The decoupling of CAP support from farm production has led to a major change in the way production decisions are made on livestock farms. Currently farm incomes do not cover production costs. It has been established that across Northern Ireland farm gate losses on beef and sheep production for meat totalled over £150 million in 2005.  The production of local beef and lamb will only continue in future if these enterprises are profitable.  Our involvement in this project is designed to develop and implement a plan to secure the long term viability of beef and lamb producers, and also the wider red meat industry.”

President of NIMEA, Campbell Tweedie, “Over the past decade our industry has experienced significant pressures arising from the ten-year ban on exports, exchange rate movements and consolidation of purchasing power by major retailers. The processing industry is facing an uncertain future as we risk the decline of livestock production and the increasing competition from third countries such as Brazil and Argentina. It is essential that we seek expert strategic support and co-ordinate across the industry to allow us to have a sustainable chain of production, processing and supply for the future.”

Dan Flinter, Chairman of the Food Strategy Implementation Partnership, “We are pleased that the Food Strategy Implementation Partnership has been able to be highly supportive of this project. The importance of beef and sheepmeat to the Northern Ireland food industry cannot be overstated. In the current environment, many Northern Ireland people depend on a successful and profitable industry; planning for that future at this time of substantial change should be supported by everyone with an interest in the development of a successful economic future for Northern Ireland.”