‘We’re not lovin’ it’, beef farmers say at McDonald’s protest

Some 20 tractors accompanied by a large group of farmers have gathered at McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant on Kilkenny’s Ring Road in an IFA protest about the fall in beef prices in recent months.

The farmers are carried placards with the message “Beef prices: We’re not lovin’ it” - a play on the advertising slogan of the fast food chain.

McDonald’s is the largest purchaser of Irish beef by volume every year, buying 40,000 tonnes of beef to supply European markets. One in five burgers sold in McDonald’s in Europe is of Irish origin.

Leading the protest, IFA president Eddie Downey said farmers felt betrayed by the “unacceptable behaviour and lack of corporate responsibility on the part of the powerful players in the supply chain” as cattle prices collapsed. He said meat factories, retailers and food service outlets like McDonald’s, Burger King and Supermacs must all share in the blame for “standing back and letting farmers take the full financial hit in this crisis”.

“With beef prices down by €200 per head from last year and at incomes ranging from €9,469 to €15,595, as confirmed by Teagasc, livestock farmers feel angry and frustrated that their issues are being ignored,” he said.

A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said the company was a proud supporter of the Irish agri-food sector, buying some 10 per cent of Ireland’s total beef output.

“McDonald’s has not altered any of its specifications in terms of the cuts of beef it uses in its products and has significantly increased its purchase of Irish beef over the past five years,” she added.

“McDonald’s remains committed to supporting the Irish beef and Irish agri-food sector.”

This is the fourth IFA protest by beef producers in the past fortnight. Earlier protests targeted Tesco in Naas, Lidl in Ballinasloe and Aldi in Mitchelstown and more are expected.

Meat Industry Ireland which represents beef and lamb processors, met Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney late yesterday to discuss the beef crisis. A spokesman said the organisation had repeated its view that the reduction in beef prices was “a reflection of the very significant recession-driven drop in EU beef consumption - 700,000 tonnes - since 2010 compounded by an increase in EU beef output in 2014”.

However, he said processors were willing to explore flexibility with regard to carcase weights, as sought by Mr Coveney. But he added that this was “notwithstanding a clear and well publicised market trend towards a preference for lower weights”.

He also said the processors were willing to meet IFA representatives to discuss the market situation.