ICMSA chief urges minister to seek the retention of milk quotas

THE leader of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has urged Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith to seek the retention of milk quotas.

Jackie Cahill called on Mr Smith to support his French counterpart who had, he said, come out in full support of milk quotas beyond 2015.

Mr Cahill said as milk prices drop to their lowest relative level, it was reassuring to see there was somebody in power in Europe aware of what was happening in the milk sector and with some grasp of the action needed to save dairy farmers’ incomes. He said the advocacy of extra quotas by the minister and his department was outdated and was a dangerous policy with the potential to bankrupt dairy farmers.