Farm groups North and South meet to examine dairy package proposals

FARM groups in the North and in the Republic have met to examine aspects of Europe’s new dairy package which could mitigate against net exporters like Ireland.

IFA dairy vice-chairman Tom Phelan and executive secretary Catherine Lascurettes have met with MEP for the North, Jim Nicholson, the European Parliament rapporteur who is writing up the conclusions on the EU dairy legislation package (the Dairy Package) currently being proposed by the commission following from the recommendations of the 2009/10 High Level Group on Milk.

Mr Phelan said the IFA had impressed on Mr Nicholson that, while the package had many positive elements, it should not allow member states to re-nationalise their domestic markets to the detriment of exporting countries such as Ireland.