Northern Ireland's livestock processing sector needs weighing procedures that are transparent and consistent to give farmers "full confidence" in the system, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has said.

The union called for "robust, transparent and consistently applied weighing procedures" to ensure farmers can have "full confidence in the weights used to determine payment".

According to UFU deputy president Clement Lynch, members across a number of sectors have highlighted the importance of confidence in weighing systems, particularly where differences in recorded weight can have a direct financial impact on farm businesses.

“Whether cattle, sheep, pigs or poultry are being weighed, producers should have confidence that equipment is accurate, procedures are transparent and there is a clear process available if a farmer has a genuine concern about a recorded weight," he said.

Lynch added that this is not about pointing the finger at any individual business or sector.

“It is about maintaining confidence throughout the supply chain and ensuring farmers understand the systems and safeguards that determine the weight, and ultimately the value, of what they produce," he said.

Information

The UFU said there is value in ensuring producers have clear information about the checks, controls and safeguards surrounding commercial weighing systems and how these are applied across the processing sector.

Lynch said: "Where payment is directly linked to weight, transparency is essential.

“There should also be clarity around how weighing equipment is checked and calibrated, what information is made available to producers and what process is available if a farmer believes there may be a discrepancy.”

Lynch added that, where a legitimate concern is raised, farmers need to know there is a straightforward mechanism for that concern to be examined and resolved fairly.

“A transparent system protects not only the producer but also processor by maintaining confidence in the commercial relationship," he said.

Weighing procedures

The UFU is encouraging processors across the livestock and poultry sectors to ensure their weighing procedures are clearly communicated to suppliers.

It also called for appropriate mechanisms for producers to raise legitimate queries and have them addressed in a timely and transparent manner.

The body also said that there is merit in exploring whether greater guidance, increased transparency, or opportunities for independent verification could further strengthen producer confidence in commercial weighing systems across the agri-food supply chain.

The UFU deputy president said that Northern Ireland's farmers and processors "depend" on one another.

“The principle is simple: If a farmer's payment is determined by weight, they must be able to have confidence in that weight," he said.

Lynch added that such confidence should be a basic expectation across the entire processing sector.