The Beef Taskforce has been officially wound up in its current format. However, a new beef stakeholder forum will be put in place, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said.

Minister McConalogue has today (Monday, November 29) published a report on the work of the beef taskforce submitted to him by the independent chairperson, Michael Dowling.

The report details the progress made by the taskforce in fulfilling its remit of monitoring the implementation of the actions under the September 2019 Beef Sector Agreement.

"I take this opportunity to thank the chair for his dedication and diligence in progressing this important work, and to thank all taskforce members for their consistent, constructive engagement in the process," the minister said.

According to the minister, the Beef Sector Agreement led to "immediate financial benefits and improvements to conditions of sale for farmers and subsequent strategic actions for the benefit of the sector".

Some of the developments that were overseen by the taskforce (with often mixed reactions from farm organisations) include:

“In submitting the report, the Beef Taskforce chair also outlined his recommendations in relation to the future of stakeholder engagement in the sector. Mr. Dowling advised that it is his view, and the shared view of the majority of the members of the Taskforce, that the group has fulfilled its remit," Minister McConalogue explained.

"For this reason, I have accepted the chair’s recommendation that the Beef Taskforce in its current format be wound up," he added.

However, the minister also said: "I absolutely agree with the chair’s additional recommendation that we need ongoing stakeholder engagement on the key strategic issues facing the sector, and I will be putting arrangements in place to establish a new strategic forum for the sector."