80% of shareholders endorse €150m plan

Dairygold shareholders have endorsed the co-op’s post-2015 €150m expansion plan, following two back-to-back meetings yesterday at its premises in Mallow, Co Cork.

Just over 2,000 members attended the AGM and SGM at the Powder Store in Dairygold’s main yard in Mallow, debating and then voting upon three motions. The first motion was tabled by Dairygold’s general committee, calling for members to endorse the co-op’s financial plan for post-quota expansion, including the disputed milk supply agreement (MSA), and was passed by an 80% majority.

The second motion, tabled by DMSSG, a group of Dairygold shareholders opposed to the MSA, calling for the MSA plan to be shelved and for a new plan to be devised, was rejected by a similar margin: 79.2% against, 20.8% for. This group’s other motion, seeking independent quality testing of their milk supply, was also rejected by 72% to 28%.