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11 February 1998 IRISH FIGHT BACK AGAINST BRITISH BEEF _BY JOHANN TASKER_ FARMERS in Ireland are up in arms over the recently launched £2 million campaign to promote British beef. The
farmers claim that the Meat and Livestock Commission campaign to “Buy British” is having a devastating effect on Irish beef exports. And they have decided to launch their own campaign to
encourage British shoppers to buy Irish beef instead. The Irish Government has already complained to the European Commission about the MLCs tactics. Irish officials are now examining the
small print of the MLC campaign to see whether it contravenes EU single-market rules. Joe Walsh, the Irish farm minister, held a crisis meeting with farmers representatives and meat
processors late last week. The MLC campaign has created one of the biggest marketing challenges ever faced by the Irish beef industry, he told the _Irish Independent_ newspaper. At the
meeting, it was decided that the Irish Food Board will spearhead a counter-attack to boost Irish beef sales in Britain as soon as possible. Ireland sells about 95,000 tonnes of beef to
Britain each year – most of it from heifers. But beef exports have slowed noticeably since the MLC campaign started late last month. Heifer prices across Ireland have fallen by up to 6%,
said Raymond OMalley, national livestock chairman of the Irish Farmers Association. “I dont want to see us get into a head-to-head with the MLC because both British and Irish beef producers
would lose out,” said Mr OMalley. “But castigating Irish beef is nothing more than a negative campaign.” A spokesman for the MLC said the Irish response showed the “Buy British” campaign was
working. “We promote British beef because that is what our levy-payers pay us to do,” he said. “If our campaign increases sales of beef across the board, then all well and good. But weve
never taken part in negative marketing.”