The Irish Farmers' Association has threatened to repeat its blockade of meat plants which closed down the industry for nearly a month in January 2000 and cost the organisation £750,000 in court fines and legal costs.
As part of a build up to any action which might take place, the 25 meat plants in the State will be visited by IFA "delegations" over the next two days seeking meetings to discuss an increase in the price farmers are receiving for their cattle.
Mr Tom Parlon, the IFA president, said yesterday that anger among cattle farmers was at boiling point in reaction to the latest attempts by the meat factories to pull cattle prices below 80p per pound for steer beef. He said the IFA was "seriously considering a repeat of the January 2000 cattle price campaign" if there was not an immediate response from the meat plants and a price increase in line with market returns.
The Irish Meat Association, which represents the meat factories, was not commenting on Mr Parlon's statement but it has consistently denied that it has been operating a cartel on the price paid to farmers.
In January 2000 the factories were forced to pay 90p per pound to producers after a bitter dispute during which no Irish beef was exported for over three weeks.