Dairy farmers warned to maintain close control over production levels

REFORM of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will not happen before the first half of 2013 when Ireland takes up the EU Agriculture Presidency, according to Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

In the interim, Mr Coveney warned dairy farmers attending yesterday’s National Dairy Council (NDC) conference in Dublin to keep a close control on their production levels. Failure to do so, he warned, would lead to a superlevy fine which would very likely drive new entrant farmers out of business.

“We are putting together a coalition with countries like Netherlands and Denmark. We are trying to convince Germany and France to accept some greater flexibility in regard to butterfat levels, perhaps another 1% flexibility.