The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2014 - Issue 34 | Page 46

CATTLE

NBA: beef farmers being told
to hold stock back should
consider auction marts
The National Beef Association (NBA) and the Livestock
Auctioneers Association (LAA) have joined forces to encourage
farmers to consider auction marts if they are being told by their
usual abattoir that they cannot take their finished cattle.
Chris Dodds, Executive Secretary,
LAA, said: “Some of the big
abattoirs are claiming to be full
and asking farmers to hold back
their finished cattle. Our message
to them is to try their local auction
mart. We’re open for business and
have plenty of room to sell prime
beef animals and help farmers get a
fair price.”
Holding finished cattle back, even by
just a month, can have significant cost
and cash flow implications for beef
producers who have to continue to feed
and manage them.
Chris Mallon, National Director, NBA,
added: “I’ve heard of people being
told in April that they have to wait until
late May or even June before bringing
their cattle to the abattoir. That’s crazy.
The auction mart offers a better option
for beef producers right now, but they
should also use marts in the future.
“For store cattle there’s no realistic
alternative to the auction mart if you
want to get a good price. But I would
encourage beef producers to consider
auction marts for finished cattle too –
especially if they are being told to hold
their cattle back.
“Not only will they save on the cost of
feeding and looking after cattle for an
extra month or so, but they will also get
the true market price for their livestock.
“For the 30 seconds that your cattle
are in the ring, the auctioneer is working
solely for you. All they want to do is get
you the best price possible for your
livestock. That’s how they earn their
wages. You simply don’t get that when
you’re dealing with a procurement
manager at an abattoir. Their priority
is getting the price down as low as
possible.”

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Jun/Jul 2014 FarmersMart

The NBA also believes auction marts
are the best way farmers can support
the British beef industry and secure its
future.
“There’s a lot of talk about supporting
British farmers and beef producers,”
continued Chris Mallon, “but the best way
to do this is through the auction marts.
They offer a good service to farmers,
paying promptly and supporting their
customers.”

FFA CAMPAIGNS AGAINST
FALLING BEEF PRICES
Meanwhile, Farmers For Action (FFA) is
to launch a major campaign against falling
beef prices.
FFA chairman David Handley says, “We
can no longer sit back and watch beef
prices collapse.
“Something has to be done to protect
British beef farmers. This is a massive
economic part of our industry.”
Mr Handley says FFA has been
monitoring both labelling of meat products
and carried out surveillance at a number
of meat processing plants - and the
information gathered has led the FFA’s
committee to come to the decision that
action has to be taken. He says the FFA
is determined that the beef sector will not
be in the same position as the milk sector
was.
Falling farmgate prices for beef were
top of the agenda at the National Beef
Association (NBA) Beef Expo in Hexham
in May. Supermarkets and processors
came under fire during a round-table
meeting where directors repo