Milk quota incentive for young farmers

ADDITIONAL milk quota must be targeted at young farmers — those entering dairying and those already in the industry, Macra na Feirme has insisted.

Catherine Buckley, president, said Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan must target the proposed increase in national milk quota to farmers who want to enter dairying, but are unable to do so by traditional routes such as inheritance or partnership.

The real benefit of quota increases to the industry would only be realised if this approach was taken, she said.

Ms Buckley said Macra was proposing 75% of the increase in the national milk quota be targeted at young farmers in the priority pool.

“The quota would be distributed nationally by the Department of Agriculture, and would be a license to produce and have no asset value,” she said.

Ms Buckley said 25% of the increase should be set aside to provide an individual allocation of 200,000 litres to young farmers who cannot avail of the traditional routes into dairying.

“We cannot let a situation develop where young farmers fail to secure adequate quota for start-up and have no choice but to depart the industry,” she said.

Welcoming Ms Coughlan’s efforts to convince the EU to increase milk quotas above 2%, Ms Buckley said it was clear Ireland had the capacity to increase its quota production over the next number of years.