If we support Irish farmers, let’s look beyond beef

Sir, – I refer to the article “Our farmers are gods. We should be rolling out red carpets,” (August 17th) and, in particular, to the suggestion that restaurants demonstrate their support for Irish food producers by stating that 100 per cent of their beef is Irish.

Restaurants are legally required to declare the origin of the beef they serve. In any event, few would risk challenging Ireland’s powerful beef sector by openly advertising imported beef.

But what of the chicken, pork, lamb, vegetables, dairy products, fish, seafood and other food served in those same restaurants? Their origins are conspicuously absent from most menus.

If menu provenance is to be presented as evidence of support for Irish farmers, it should extend beyond beef. Otherwise, the farmers accorded God-like status in Ireland appear to be beef farmers alone. – Yours, etc,