Lack of co-op support forces ICOS to abandon milk-test lab proposal
By Stephen Cadogan
Thursday, March 11, 2010
ICOS has abandoned a centralised milk-testing laboratory proposal because insufficient dairy co-ops agreed to support it.
Milk testing would have been pooled to one central laboratory, which would have tested milk for payment, herd-recording and herd health and management. While a significant number of dairy co-ops pledged support, their combined volume of testing was deemed insufficient to outweigh the considerable restructuring costs to be incurred by individual co-ops.
ICOS president Pat McLoughlin said he was disappointed. "This initiative was intended to reduce costs, support co-operative businesses, and deliver a better service to farmers. ICOS had sourced capital funding for the proposed lab, through grants aid and investment capital. However, we have to take a practical approach to these matters.
"We will revisit this concept in the future, when the economics of consolidation may be more favourable."
He said ICOS would continue to work with the industry to pursue all avenues of co-operation and consolidation.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, March 11, 2010
