Beef factories have been warned by the president of the Irish Farmers' Association, Mr John Dillon, that they will have to change their attitude to farmers or the farmers will stop producing cattle for their factories.
In the latest shot to be fired in the continuing dispute between the factories and farmers over cattle prices, which has already seen the industry closed down for 24 hours, Mr Dillon warned yesterday that the decoupling of premiums from production would see major changes from next year.
Mr Dillon, who was making his first major public appearance since his farm accident last month, said the IFA, which held protests at all 27 meat factories last Monday, shutting down all production, could be back at the plants within 24 hours if they wished.
While the protesters made no attempt to disrupt normal work, farmers withheld their animals from the plants, which were forced into a position where they could not kill for the day.
Mr Dillon said the actions taken by the Irish Farmers' Association over cattle prices in the last month had kept prices from falling, and it had been worth two to three cent per lb for producers.
"We only need 24 hours to be back at the plants again and we will, if necessary. However, I would prefer a partnership-type approach because if we don't get that, farmers will not produce for factories after decoupling," Mr Dillon said.
He did not see factories producing beef for their own plants in the way pig-processors had been driven out of business by factories setting up their own pig units.
"The beef factories were producing a lot of cattle when there were premiums, but now they are gone, I suspect they would prefer to see the farmers produce the cattle for them," he said.
"Without that there can never be any trust. Anyhow, can we ever trust them?"
Mr Dillon said he would be pressing the new Minister for Agriculture and Food, Ms Coughlan, to deliver on an agreement in Brussels that farmers be given 14 days' notice of inspections of their farms. He said he had got such a promise from Mr Joe Walsh.
He also said he would be pushing Ms Coughlan to secure the best possible deal for farmers in the Nitrates Directive, a deal which would allow commercial farmers to survive.
Mr Dillon, who will not resume full-time operations until later in the year, added that the proposed controversial restructuring of his organisation on foot of a report drawn up by Mr Michael Dowling would proceed when he returned to work full time and was able to meet his county chairmen.
Meanwhile, the president of the Tractor and Farm Machinery Association, Mr Simon Cross, yesterday called on the new Minister for Transport, Mr Cullen, to introduce new tractor-trailer legislation to reduce accidents on public roads involving farm machinery.
He said the age limit for those driving tractor and trailer combinations of weights of more than 12 tonnes should be over 18, not the current 16, and all trailed equipment over five tonnes laden should be fitted with a 40 k.p.h. sticker.
Mr Cross also called for the legislation to allow flashing beacons on agricultural tractors to be immediately brought into law. It has been on the statute books since 2000.