On the eve of Anglesey Show, the county’s NFU Cymru Chairman, Brian Bown, has called for action across the whole supply chain to address the crash in beef prices.
Brian Bown, a beef producer on Anglesey said: “I fully concur with the recent five asks from all four NFU Presidents from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, on urgent steps to help safeguard beef farming livelihoods during the critical run-up to Brexit.”
The four UK farming union Presidents have called for:
- The formulation of an intense and co-ordinated period of product promotion and innovation by retailers and processors to help stimulate demand for safe, high quality, fully traceable Red Tractor beef
- The UK levy bodies must continue to raise awareness around the values behind UK beef production, both at home and abroad, and support the export, retail and food service sectors to deliver on new opportunities, such as the recently opened Chinese market
- All retailers must ensure their marketing on origin and sourcing is clear at the point of sale and food service providers to give clear country of origin labelling for all beef products
- Governments across the UK to urgently review their public procurement commitments with an emphasis on UK sourcing
- Governments across the UK must assess the impact on the UK beef market of the
€100 million cash boost provided to Irish beef farmers, while considering mitigating measures to protect UK beef production
Brian added: “There is a lot of talk about the sustainability of beef production these days. Let’s be absolutely clear, it is not sustainability we are worried about here but the very future of beef production on Anglesey and elsewhere in the country.
“Action is needed now across the whole supply chain to bring the industry back from the brink. As the autumn approaches, more and more cattle from Anglesey, the granary of Wales, will be ready to be sold, so let’s make sure that these prime beef producers get a fair price for this world-leading, PGI product.”