More than 60 farmers were still picketing outside the Goodman-owned AIBP meat plant in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, yesterday. Farmers made it clear their peaceful protest was not a blockade. Workers, management and trucks had been allowed into the plant.
"This is a peaceful protest in support of our demands for a better price for cattle," they said.
Several farmers accused the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, of doing nothing to improve the incomes of beef farmers and claimed this had been on the cards for the last two years and he had ignored the farmers.
"This is a last stand for a decent price for our cattle to protect our livelihoods," said an angry protester. Farmers claimed that consumers were being fleeced by the price they had to pay for their meat and producers were also being fleeced because of poor prices.