The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has told the Dáil that concerns around transparency from meat processors are already covered in the proposed legislation to establish the new agri-food regulator.
The comments came as TDs debated several amendments to the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022 put forward by Independent Deputy Michael McNamara.
The Clare TD said that “a bill on food transparency in the Irish context that does not mention meat processors lacks credibility”.
Among the amendments proposed by Deputy McNamara was a requirement for more reporting by processors on the discounts and bonuses paid for both in-spec and out-of-spec cattle and what processors are being paid by retailers and any conditionality, specifically, around age demanded by the retailers.
Legislation
The TD said that more transparency is needed on the impact of processor-controlled or owned feedlots on the price of beef.
The TD added that “there is no transparency whatsoever around the price retailers are paying the processors”.
“Unless and until we get transparency in that regard, we will simply never know where the profits are going in the food chain and who is getting what along the line.”
Minister Charlie McConalogue said that the amendments were not necessary because these provisions were already included in the bill.
“The legislation covers meat processors and the sale of livestock, and it covers much more broadly than that as well,” he said.
However, Deputy McNamara, who is also a barrister and a farmer, maintained that this was “patently incorrect”.
“The only powers the regulator will have in what the minister proposes is to collect, analyse and regularly publish reports on price and market data relating to the agricultural and food supply chain and generally in relation to the agricultural and food sector in the State, but the problem is there are no market data on the impact of feedlots,” he said.
Minister McConalogue said that “months of effort” have gone into working on the bill including consultation with farm organisations.
18 out of 20 recommendations from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine had been accepted or substantially accepted by the minister.
McConalogue said that “the bill is robust and strong and provides the powers for further regulations as necessary to ensure this office works and delivers and has teeth”.
Several amendments put forward by Deputy McNamara were rejected following Dáil votes.
The Dáil debate on the legislation was adjourned until a later date.