Ireland-Proposed levy on pork products.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND.

PROPOSED LEVY ON PORK.

The Department of Agriculture in Ireland, is considering a levy on meat products, to be paid by consumers at retail outlets, in order to cover the eventuality of another meat re-call similar to the one last week.

The government paid out 8 million euros to the initial 10 farmers involved, followed by 180 million in compensation to farmers and meat processors.

The European Union have agreed a fund of 15 million euros, towards aid to private storage for pork products over the next 6 months.

A Department of Agriculture spokesman, confirmed that the matter is currently under consideration by the government. When the dust settles in the next few days, the pork industry of Ireland is going to be left with two major problems.

First buyer resistance, caused by the media hysteria, as the case was reported on over 3,000 internet sites all over the world, with headlines such as links to cancer etc.

Secondly is getting countries to lift the import bans, that have been imposed on Irish products.

Consumer confidence can be restored by honest reporting of the situation, the Irish government acted promptly and efficiently, in an emergency situation. A simple campaign in layman’s terms can soon put the Irish consumers minds at rest, if handled correctly, that will take care of 70% of the nations pork and bacon production.