TEAGASC, the agriculture and food development authority, is to launch a major campaign to help beef farmers who are facing huge losses because of the BSE problems.
It announced yesterday at the national ploughing championships in Carlow that it is to run 200 seminars, county meetings and conferences to help farmers produce beef as cheaply as possible.
On-farm demonstrations will also be held to demonstrate the key management issues involved, especially in relation to cost control and grass and silage management.
Farmers are being paid 25 per cent less for their beef cattle this year than they were this time last year and this is creating major problems for beef producers.
Mr Matt Barlow, Teagasc's chief adviser, told a meeting here yesterday that the organisation will attempt to predict the likely demand and price of beef during the coming months and into next spring.
It will also put forward methods of combating the reduction in beef prices through cost-cutting strategies and will outline beef breeding policy for the future.
He said Teagasc had secured the services of Mr Robert Foster, an internationally known beef analyst, for the meetings.
In addition, a senior executive from the beef-processing industry and a Teagasc beef specialist will address each meeting.
Last night Teagasc also announced that practically 100 per cent of graduates from its Certificate in Farming achieved employment.
Dr Liam Downey, the Teagasc director, said that a survey of CIF graduates between 1986 and 1994 showed that 72 per cent were in full-time farming and that 2 per cent were in part-time farming.
"In essence, practically 100 per cent of the graduates have achieved employment," he said.