Farmers have been told by James Smyth of Irish Country Meats (ICM) that access for Irish sheepmeat to the US market is a "work in progress".

Speaking at the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) National Sheep meeting on Monday (January 23) in Athlone Co. Westmeath, Smyth answered a question from the floor regarding Irish sheepmeat access to the US market.

He said: "In relation to the US market, that's certainly a work in progress.

"All of these things take time. The mention of EID (electronic identification) tagging which Kevin [Comiskey] alluded to earlier, that producers such as yourselves embraced and took on the extra cost and effort of electronic tagging, has been very important.

"So good progress is being made, we are expecting to report further on this in the months ahead," he told farmers.

Another question that came from the floor relevant to producers who trade through ICM related to the introduction of electronic payments to farmers.

Responding to this, Smyth said: "Tests have been completed in the last number of weeks and by the latest, March 1, we should be in a position, or even earlier to start those electronic payments."