New EU-backed law to allow farmers negotiate better prices

New EU-backed legislation is set to be developed to allow producer organisations negotiate better prices on behalf of their members, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney has told ICMSA members at their AGM in Limerick.

“We want to change the poor relationship that exists between farmers and factories, wherein the bulk of the control rests with the factories,” Mr Coveney said.

“At present, groups like the ICMSA are banned from negotiating price on behalf of their members because it is viewed as anti-competitive to do so.