New entrants will share 200,000 litres of milk quota under scheme

A TOTAL of 200,000 litres of milk quota will be allocated to new entrants to dairying under a new scheme announced yesterday by Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith.

It followed his earlier decision to set aside one quarter of the first 1% milk quota increase under the Common Agricultural Policy Health Check for new entrants.

Mr Smith said at a time when the dairy sector is facing many serious challenges it is perhaps more important than ever to make every effort to encourage new thinking and new methods.