Farmers rally at mass meeting in tuam

THE packed to overflowing attendance at the IFA’s meeting to discuss the controversial Beef Genomics Scheme in the Ard Ri House Hotel, Tuam on Monday night was an indicator of how seriously the farming community in the region is taking the new suckler scheme.
Farmers are concerned that the scheme is a quota by the back door because of its inflexibility. It will also be costly for farmers who have to pay for rigorous testing to confirm compliance. A clawback clause to recoup all payments in case of opt-out over the six year period of the scheme is also very unpopular.
Galway IFA Chairman Pat Murphy opened the meeting by welcoming the public representatives attending but warning them that nobody was happy with the scheme and they should go back to the drawing board on this one or face the ire of the farming community.