Mission Impossible the 2012 Milk quota, Irish Farmers Milked by EU!

"I udder at the challenge of keeping this years quota."

"I welcome the steps taken by the Nicholson Milk report, due to be voted on tomorrow.  The report aims to strengthen the bargaining power of the dairy farmers by deviating from the general competition rules to allow farmers to collectively negotiating contract terms with dairies, including the price. "

"At present farmers are forced to deal with faceless powerful corporations who expect a top quality product for a below production price.  This is not sustainable and it's about time we got on the farmers' side and ensured fair farm gate prices."

"This report also allows us to once again outline the dire need for a soft landing for dairy farmers ahead of the lifting of milk quotas in 2015.  This is the only way we can ensure future price certainty."

"The EU milk quota scheme is no friend of the Irish farmer & has stifled Irish milk production since 1984.  Ireland has a mere 1% increase in our milk quota each year until 2015.  I am calling for a flexible approach to the quotas and the application of pan EU quotas.  The last 2 years we narrowly avoided the imposition of fines being 1.87% & 0.08% under quota." 

"The last thing we want to do is fine progressive dairy farmers who are planning for expansion, growth and investment post-2015.  The EU as a whole was 5% under quota in 2011, punishing productive countries simply doesn't make sense at a time when the EU has a milk deficit of 7%."

"At present it is not possible to do bilateral deals on milk policy, this is something which clearly needs to change." 

"The EU needs to work together for the better of the Irish farmers and the EU as a whole."

ENDS

Contact:

Aoife Kearney + 33 388 177843

Further information:

Report by Jim Nicholson: Milk and milk products sector: contractual relations. (1st reading).  The report will be voted through the Parliament on Wednesday the 15th of February.

The Food Harvest 2020 aims for a 50% increase in milk production by 2020 this will require a massive expansion from 2015 to 2020.

Coveney has admitted that it was purely by luck that Ireland kept the 2011 quota - mainly due to the poor weather at the beginning of 2011.