SCHOOL EDITION 1 MARCH 2023 - Flipbook - Page 7
FARM WEEK
NEWS
Demand for
cattle solid
C
ATTLE farmers have been
advised to take advantage of
the current stability in the
market as demand for all types
remains solid as the festive season
approaches.
Recent weeks have seen an
increase in the number of cattle
being brought for processing
at the Province’s meat plants,
however, despite this, the Ulster
Farmers’ Union says this has not
dented demand.
UFU beef and lamb committee
chair, Crosby Cleland commented:
“Despite the increased number
of cattle processed over the last
few weeks demand for all types of
cattle remains solid in the run up
to Christmas.
“This is reflected by the fact that
over the last few weeks very few
cattle have been bought at quoted
prices. In the coming weeks
farmers should continue to market
cattle as they come ready to take
advantage of the stability in the
market.
“Farmers should be asking for
at least 356p/kg for quality cattle
and £3/kg for strong cows.”
Trailer
marking event
P
OLICE will be trailer marking
at Donemana Enterprise Park
in Dunamanagh, Strabane
on Thursday, November 30 from
10am-4pm.
This event is free for everyone
to bring along their livestock,
car trailers, etc ... to be security
marked and receive crime
prevention advice.
NOVEMBER 23 2017
7
Rural home sold for £1.73m
A
PERIOD home boasting
significant agricultural
lands in rural County
Armagh has been sold
for £1.73 million.
Dartan Hall, located on the
edge of Killylea village, went
under the hammer at an auction
last week with an asking price of
£1.75m, attracting the attention
of three bidders.
In the end the impressive
property was secured by a local
businessman with agricultural
interests, Best Property Services
MD Garry Best has confirmed.
Auction bids reached £1.7m in
the room and £1.73m was later
negotiated with the highest
bidder as the deal was agreed.
The Victorian home is framed
with expansive lawns, mature
woodland, boasts significant
agricultural lands coupled
with a large courtyard, gate
lodge, outbuildings and private
driveway extending to 115 acres.
Built in the 1850s by the
Cross Family who had settled
in Armagh from Lancashire,
the property was extensive
refurbished in 1987.
Dartan Hall itself is a two
storey home over a basement,
extending to 6,975 sq ft and
encompasses ground floor
kitchen, drawing room, living
room and dining room while
upstairs houses four bedrooms,
including a master ensuite
and a main bathroom. The
sale includes the Courtyard
and extensive farmyard
and outbuildings as well as
vacant Gatelodge in need of
refurbishment.
ABOVE: Dartan Hall in Killylea, County Armagh.
2 Sisters report ‘wake-up call’ for processing sector
By Terri Leonard
A
REPORT into poultry and food
manufacturing group 2 Sisters should
serve as a “wake-up call” to those
involved in the processing industry, an MP has
said.
The Parliamentary report was initiated after
an undercover investigation found evidence of
2 Sisters workers altering the slaughter date of
poultry and of workers dropping chicken on
the floor of the processing plant and returning
it to the production line.
The Environment, Foods and Rural Affairs
Committee has published the findings of
its inquiry having looked at the issues
raised at the 2 Sisters plant and the role
and performance of the Food Standards
Agency, Sandwell Metropolitan Council and
accreditation bodies.
It also explored the potential ramifications of
the allegations made against 2 Sisters for the
Swatragh: Special sale tonight
ON OFFER: Some of the replacement heifers which will be on offer at
Swatragh Livestock Mart’s special sale this evening, Thursday, November 23,
at 7.30pm.
poultry sector and the wider food chain.
The report found that the problems identified
at the 2 Sisters West Bromwich plant were not
a “one-off”.
It said: “The past record of the 2 Sisters
Food Group is far from pristine and there are
valid questions to be asked of its corporate
governance structure.”
It also found that there was “no systematic
process for bringing together the various
audits and assessments conducted by different
accreditation and regulatory bodies; as such
there is no single overarching view about
standards in a particular plant or facility.”
Furthermore, it said unannounced visits
were not completely a surprise as “even an
unannounced visit gives processors a period of
around 30 minutes’ grace before the inspection
begins and as a result “people will tend to be on
their best behaviour”.
Committee Chair, Neil Parish MP, said the
inquiry should serve as a “wake-up call” for
all accreditation firms and prompt them to
improve their processes and remove any
loopholes that may exist.
“Food supply chains are sensitive and easy
to disrupt when retailers and consumers lose
confidence in food quality or safety. Large
producers and retailers have a responsibility to
protect, rather than undermine, the UK’s food
producers,” he added.
He welcomed a commitment from 2 Sisters to
improve standards at its production facilities.
“The commitments are on the public record
and we will be closely monitoring their
implementation with a view to investigating
further if required.”
“It is important that consumers in both
the UK and in our vital export markets feel
confident in the quality of our food standards.
We have made it quite clear that we take his
assurances very seriously. We will be closely
monitoring their implementation,” Mr Parish
concluded.
New controls added to identify status of
animals
N
EW status controls have been
included on AHPIS to identify
Negligible Risk (NR) and
Controlled Risk (CR) animals.
Earlier in the year, Northern
Ireland was awarded the highest
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(BSE) status, NR status. This was
a recognition of the efforts by the
Agri-Food industry and DAERA
in controlling Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE).
This means that there is a
reduction in the risk materials
which must be disposed of, to the
skull excluding the mandible, and
including the brain and eyes and
the spinal cord of animals over 12
months. This will apply to cattle born
and exclusively reared in Northern
Ireland.
As part of controls to ensure
animals which do not satisfy this
condition, a CR status will be applied
on APHIS from November 19. All
animals imported into Northern
Ireland or which have left Northern
Ireland and returned later will be
given CR status which will appear on
herd lists, at markets and abattoirs.
The CR status will also apply to
animals which have left Northern
Ireland to attend shows in Great
Britain or the Republic of Ireland.
Where these animals have returned
to Northern Ireland within 24
hours, or if longer and guarantees/
assurances are received that the
animal(s) did not receive feeding
stuffs from that country, their local
Divisional Veterinary Office (DVO)
can remove the CR status.
In the case of cattle imported
from Scotland, which also has NR
status, a CR status will be applied
to individual animals. However, if
the identity/status of the animal is
certified on a veterinary certificate
as NR, then the CR status will be
removed by the local DVO.