Press Release - NBA will support VIA installation in NI only if 100 per cent DARD scrutiny is quaranteed

NBA will support VIA installation in NI only if 100 per cent DARD scrutiny is guaranteed – and adjustments to payment grid are made too.

The National Beef Association will work with the DARD, LMC, NIMEA and the meat factories, to make sure that when VIA (video image analysis) classification machines are installed in Northern Ireland they deliver the much forecast grading consistency that is promised.

“VIA based classification will be used in commercial premises in Northern Ireland in the near future and all signals point to this being to the general benefit of everyone in the beef industry if the system works correctly,” explained the NBA’s Northern Ireland chairman, Oisin Murnion.

“It is therefore up to the Beef Association and others in the sector, to make sure that the interests of the beef finisher, and everyone else affected by their use, is properly protected from machine malfunction.”

The NBA has discussed problems surrounding the installation of VIA machines in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) with DARD, LMC and NIMEA and taken particular note of the recent failure of the auditors in one plant to spot a camera breakdown that resulted in regular underpayments for some grades of cattle until flaws in carcase scanning capacity were corrected.

It is also ready to insist that when VIA machines are installed for commercial use in Northern Ireland, the payment grid of all factories using them is revised so that feeders do not face sudden, unusually heavy, discounts on plainer cattle, particularly heifers – as was also the case in the RoI.

“If VIA machines are correctly installed and monitored they can deliver consistently high classification and carcase dressing standards in all factories on a cross-Province basis which will be a great all round benefit,” said Mr. Murnion.

“And the Association is comforted by strong reassurances from the DARD officials who will monitor their installation, and then their work performance, that lessons from bedding down experiences in the RoI have been fully learned.”

“We know some finishers remain apprehensive about VIA performance in Northern Ireland. However DARD has promised that independent auditing will cover 100 per cent of the new process, and the factories have agreed to this, so we are confident that everything possible will be done to ensure that the farmer’s interests will be protected.”

“The plants which can afford to finance the installation of VIA machines are likely to use them first and the NBA will insist that initial high levels of monitoring are retained for as long as the machines are working.”

“When potential teething problems are sorted out, and finishers have become familiar with the grading improvements, it may also be possible to explore the potential of the VIA system to offer feeders payment based on the exact saleable meat yield of cattle presented, which will be of general benefit to the beef sector, Mr. Murnion added.

For more information contact:

Oisin Murnion, chairman NBA Northern Ireland.  Tel. 02841 765082, Mobile: 07739 632048