“We met Bord Bia this morning to discuss the crisis in the sector. 50% of our pig meat is consumed on the home market, so it’s important that our product is promoted and that Irish consumers support Irish pig farmers at this challenging time,” he said.
“It’s vital that consumers look for the Bord Bia QA mark to ensure that the pig meat products they are buying are Irish,” he said.
Speaking after the meeting, IFA Pigs Chairman Roy Gallie said he was concerned that food service outlets were not using Irish pig meat.
“As regards food service, it’s vital that our hotels, restaurants and canteens insist on Irish pig meat from their suppliers,” he said.
“IFA has a DNA testing system in place and we can verify if any piece of meat comes from the Irish pig herd. We are actively taking samples all over the country and we will call out any food service outlet which is not using Irish pig meat,” he said.