Changes to dairy partnerships

MACRA NA FEIRME has welcomed the changes to dairy partnerships which were announced yesterday by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith.

The changes to the definition of dairy partnerships in the Milk Quota Regulations requires a minimum of just one dairy farmer to form a partnership.

This change is welcome, according to Macra, as it facilitates the expansion of milk partnerships to allow non-traditional new entrants and non-dairy farmers to enter milk partnerships.

Macra president Catherine Buckley said: “The changes would provide for new entrants to farming who have completed their agricultural education and for example have no land or access to quota, along with farm managers to form a partnership with an existing dairy farmer and gain access to quota.”

Macra also welcomed changes to facilitate the expansion of the existing New Entrant Parent Partnership to allow more that one new entrant in a household to enter the partnership.

Ms Buckley, however, said that while the changes announced by the minister are positive, many inconsistencies in the department’s treatment of dairy partnerships still exist.

Macra has raised concerns over barriers arising from conditions in other schemes which discourage or disadvantage farmers from entering partnerships.