Proposed new legislation by the European Commission on the protection of animals during transport will have “significant implications for Irish calf exports”, the chief executive of Bord Bia warned today (Friday, January 17).
Jim O’Toole said the live export sector is “most challenged” when it comes to impending regulations and changes proposed for EU animal transport regulations.
He outlined that the new Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Oliver Varhelyi, has promised to make “passing the proposed legislation a priority during his first term”.
“The changes proposed will have significant implications for the export of calves from Ireland,” the CEO warned.
Bord Bia
Speaking at Bord Bia’s Meat Marketing Seminar today O’Toole also highlighted that while 2024 had been a strong year for exports – total meat and livestock exports increased by 6% to €4.3 billion driven by higher volumes and values across beef, pigmeat and livestock last year – there were both “issues and opportunities” on the horizon.
Not least he said because of a “more complex global trading environment” and as geopolitical tensions and humanitarian crisis dominate the headlines.
“On Monday Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States with a pledge to introduce tariffs from his very first day in office.
“The nationalist trade position is not unique to the incoming US administration – commentary from some political leaders is becoming increasingly protectionist posing a range of economic and strategic risks for Ireland,” O’Toole added.
He also pointed to how the industry continued to be impacted by cost inflation and that high prices continue to influence shopper behaviour and meat purchases – some consumers have turned towards more affordable stewing cuts of beef.
According to the Bord Bia CEO the “increasingly high cost” associated with doing business in Ireland and across the EU with labour and energy chief among these costs is also a major issue.
“A recent Bord Bia survey of Ireland’s largest food and drink exporters found that the majority of companies view labour costs as posing the biggest risk to their competiveness this year,” he highlighted.
O’Toole also told the audience today that climate change “is the most immediate challenge” for the sector.
He said that Irish farmers “are at the mercy of increasingly unpredictable weather” and that these changing weather patterns underline the importance of everyone working together to ensure the sustainable growth of the sector.
One other key message that the Bord Bia CEO delievered today was on the issue of disease outbreaks – particularly against the backdrop of the first confirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Germany since 1988 and the ongoing threat of bluetongue.
He urged farmers, producers and the wider sectors in Ireland to “be vigilant against the the risk of disease”.
Additional reporting by Breifne O’Brien