ICSA president Sean McNamara has called for the AgriFood regulator to be granted additional powers, if necessary, through a revision of current legislation. “We in ICSA are concerned that the existing laws may not be strong enough to ensure the level of transparency needed throughout the food chain,” he said.

Mr McNamara made his comments following a meeting with AgriFood Regulator Niamh Lehehan, held at Backweston on Wednesday, 11 September.

 “The regulator’s office has begun working with meat processors and is collecting data on various aspects of their operations. This process will test whether the current legislation is sufficient to gather all the necessary information. While these initial efforts are encouraging, the key question remains: will these powers be enough to achieve the transparency we need, particularly in understanding how profits are distributed along the food chain?”

 “Should the regulator’s office require extra powers to ensure full engagement from industry stakeholders then these powers should be granted. We cannot allow a situation where industry players avoid scrutiny or bypass regulations intended to safeguard both farmers and consumers. The regulator must have the power to guarantee full cooperation and accountability throughout the sector."

 Mr McNamara said ICSA also raised concerns with the AgriFood regulator regarding the significant volume of beef and sheep imports entering the country. “The practice of mixing imported beef with Irish beef for export, along with the large quantities of sheep arriving in carcass form, goes beyond a labelling issue – it is a matter of price manipulation. Primary producers want a fair price for their products and not to be driven out of business by underhanded tactics aimed at keeping prices down.”