Call for review to avoid superlevy fines for farmers of restricted herds

The Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal should be reviewed to avoid crippling superlevy fines being imposed on dairy farmers whose herds have been restricted for lengthy periods due to animal disease problems, according to the IFA.

IFA National Dairy Committee chairman Kevin Kiersey said he is concerned about the financial threat facing these farmers, who face sizeable superlevy fines they have little ability to mitigate.

Mr Kiersey said: “We have approached the Department of Agriculture for a review of the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal procedures for the next quota year. We believe it is important to relate the size of the temporary allocation of quota not only to the size of the excess of milk produced over quota, but also to the length of time the farmer’s herd has been restricted.”

He said these farmers have not fared well this year out of the Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal scheme, which provides for them temporary quota allocations from a very limited national reserve pool.

As regards the country’s very marginal 0.07% under milk quota figure for February, Mr Kevin Kiersey said it would take a continued effort by farmers who are over quota right to the end of the month, with support from co-ops, to avoid crippling fines.

“While it will be a huge challenge to remain under quota at a time of such good grass growth, I urge all farmers and co-ops to work tirelessly together over the next few weeks to minimise or even eliminate farmers’ exposure to superlevy.”