How to support farmers in beef crisis?

Bythefire · 17-09-2019 6:39pm #1

Please excuse my ignorance - I know nothing about farming but I wanted to ask how to best support farmers when it comes to what you are going through with the current beef crisis.

Is it always better to buy in butchers? (I never buy supermarket meat & only from local butchers).

Are the cuts of meat in supermarkets really "Irish"? I understand the whole import to the North & package then so it's "Irish" but the Irish farmers who are on tv adverts saying their beef is being sold, is that really the case?

How best can the ordinary person support you going forward? I think you have the country on your side since the price breakdown was shown.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 17-09-2019 7:00pm

Bythefire wrote: »

Please excuse my ignorance - I know nothing about farming but I wanted to ask how to best support farmers when it comes to what you are going through with the current beef crisis.

Is it always better to buy in butchers? (I never buy supermarket meat & only from local butchers).

Are the cuts of meat in supermarkets really "Irish"? I understand the whole import to the North & package then so it's "Irish" but the Irish farmers who are on tv adverts saying their beef is being sold, is that really the case?

How best can the ordinary person support you going forward? I think you have the country on your side since the price breakdown was shown.

Buy in your local butcher would be the best for both yourself and the farmer.

But, before you buy, look for the display showing the animal and farm the animal came from, it should be displayed prominently where you can see the animals number and the farm the animal was bought from.

uck51js9zml2yt · 17-09-2019 8:33pm

Or just buy straight from the farmer.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 17-09-2019 8:48pm

Cannon Wooden Inch wrote: »

Or just buy straight from the farmer.

Or swap bales of silage for a heifer:D

Panch18 · 17-09-2019 8:58pm

Bythefire wrote: »

Please excuse my ignorance - I know nothing about farming but I wanted to ask how to best support farmers when it comes to what you are going through with the current beef crisis.

Is it always better to buy in butchers? (I never buy supermarket meat & only from local butchers).

Are the cuts of meat in supermarkets really "Irish"? I understand the whole import to the North & package then so it's "Irish" but the Irish farmers who are on tv adverts saying their beef is being sold, is that really the case?

How best can the ordinary person support you going forward? I think you have the country on your side since the price breakdown was shown.

Always buy from a local butcher, is the best way to support

It’s a shame that a few more on here who have plenty to say on beef prices yet buy their meat in supermarkets - yet they don’t see the irony

White Clover · 17-09-2019 8:59pm

A lot of butcher's now buy their meat from wholesalers and factories, having been forced to close their own abbatoirs by the powers that be. All this is in the name of progress!
Buy from a butcher that kills his own if you can.

SEPT 23 1989 · 17-09-2019 9:02pm

Why didn’t they call for public support on the lines?

Or to boycott all meat products

The meat barons didn’t come across very well all through this

The public were right behind you

Bythefire · 17-09-2019 9:15pm

"But, before you buy, look for the display showing the animal and farm the animal came from, it should be displayed prominently where you can see the animals number and the farm the animal was bought from.[/QUOTE]"

That's something I have noticed at my local butchers. They have a board up with numbers but no name/location. The numbers under the different meat types always seem to be the same.

amacca · 17-09-2019 9:21pm

White Clover wrote: »

A lot of butcher's now buy their meat from wholesalers and factories, having been forced to close their own abbatoirs by the powers that be. All this is in the name of progress!
Buy from a butcher that kills his own if you can.

bit off topic but what kind of qualifications/training and equipment/premises would be required to run a small scale abattoir?

I presume were talking onerous inspection etc etc but is it possible if one complied with the rules or do the rules completely prohibit it or do they rely on the cost/hassle to drive people out of it

if you wanted to run a small scale specialty meat business are you limited to having an abattoir do the killing or partner up with an existing butcher?

uck51js9zml2yt · 17-09-2019 10:04pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Or swap bales of silage for a heifer:D

Did that

Lady Haywire · 17-09-2019 10:10pm

Bythefire wrote: »

That's something I have noticed at my local butchers. They have a board up with numbers but no name/location. The numbers under the different meat types always seem to be the same.

There should be a couple of numbers, tag numbers are ones which have 12 digits. (soon will change to all tag numbers beginning with 372 which denotes an Irish animal) and anything starting with a letter will be a herd number or farm where it came from. The letter on this tells you which county the farm is in- eg Louth is O, Mayo is P, Cavan is B.
Some herds are also part of a scheme where you can look up tag numbers online & you can see the breeding, date of birth etc.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 17-09-2019 10:44pm

amacca wrote: »

bit off topic but what kind of qualifications/training and equipment/premises would be required to run a small scale abattoir?

I presume were talking onerous inspection etc etc but is it possible if one complied with the rules or do the rules completely prohibit it or do they rely on the cost/hassle to drive people out of it

if you wanted to run a small scale specialty meat business are you limited to having an abattoir do the killing or partner up with an existing butcher?

I used supply a good share of lamb to 2 local butchers who had their own abattoirs and killed for themselves and local animals for farmers.

The Dept inspections were at the extreme end of the regulations and every year there was more and more needing to be spent to keep open for another year and no guarantee that more wouldn't have to be spent again the next year for either new regulations or new harsher interpretation of the same regulations.

Most closed both the abattoir and butchers shop and there's only 2 abattoirs left locally now.

Funnily enough, after the closing of many of the abattoirs, the interpretation of regulations was relaxed but too late to save those businesses.

There may be an opportunity there but you would want to have a very long chat with your local Dept office. And any butchers still killing their own who would give a better indication of how the local inspectors operate.

Panch18 · 17-09-2019 10:48pm

amacca wrote: »

bit off topic but what kind of qualifications/training and equipment/premises would be required to run a small scale abattoir?

I presume were talking onerous inspection etc etc but is it possible if one complied with the rules or do the rules completely prohibit it or do they rely on the cost/hassle to drive people out of it

if you wanted to run a small scale specialty meat business are you limited to having an abattoir do the killing or partner up with an existing butcher?

As Buford says make sure you speak to a couple of local butchers with their own abattoirs. Because the rules and regulations were absolutely inane for a while

It’s an absolute disgrace that the department were allowed to come down so heavy handed on the local abattoirs, all because of how they interpreted the rules

uck51js9zml2yt · 17-09-2019 10:54pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

I used supply a good share of lamb to 2 local butchers who had their own abattoirs and killed for themselves and local animals for farmers.

.

I must talk to you next year...Ive a lamb joining the beef in a few weeks thats coming from Bandon.......though I'm thinking about getting a couple and keeping them for the plate.:D

PoorFarmer · 17-09-2019 11:00pm

Buford T. Justice VI wrote:

The Dept inspections were at the extreme end of the regulations and every year there was more and more needing to be spent to keep open for another year and no guarantee that more wouldn't have to be spent again the next year for either new regulations or new harsher interpretation of the same regulations.

My uncle ran an abattoir and butchers. The local water supply was deemed not up to standard to was down the carcasses and he had to bore a well with filtration system added.
Local supply was apparantly good enough to drink though.
Regulations shut him down

Buford T. Justice XIX · 17-09-2019 11:01pm

Cannon Wooden Inch wrote: »

I must talk to you next year...Ive a lamb joining the beef in a few weeks thats coming from Bandon.......though I'm thinking about getting a couple and keeping them for the plate.:D

Sheep, a great way of meeting the neighbours:pac:

whelan2 · 18-09-2019 9:30am

Just be wary if those boards in the butchers, local farmers name was on it and he hadn't farmed cattle in years

How to support farmers in beef crisis?

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