NFU plans 'Beef Summit'

NFU President Tim Bennett is planning a 'beef summit' to discuss the price crisis that is threatening the future of the industry.

Mr Bennett, from Carmarthenshire, intends to invite representatives from the UK farming unions, beef processors, retailers, auction markets and the levy boards to the summit that he will chair which will take place as soon as is possible.

The President wants to explore, in detail, the possible factors behind the slump and come up with ways to prevent industry meltdown over the autumn and winter. He said, "I am deeply concerned with what is happening to the beef industry. With the autumn store sales coming up, the signals producers are getting now will determine whether we have a sustainable beef industry next year. It is vital that everybody sits down together to get a better understanding why this has happened and what we can do to improve the situation."

Peredur Hughes, President of NFU Cymru, who will be attending the summit said, "It is absolutely vital that everybody in the beef supply chain, from farmers to supermarkets, is able to make a fair and decent living from our beef sector. We are all interlinked and we really ought to be working closer together to ensure a solid future for the UK beef industry. The consumer is increasingly asking for our beef and we need to ensure that we have a beef industry to meet that demand, not just today, but for the future as well!"