Farmers look to Dairygold to hold the price for May milk

DAIRY farmers are standing by for important news on Friday from the Cork Airport Business Park where Dairygold Co-op are expected to decide their May milk price.

According to North Cork IFA chairman Sean O’Leary, farmers who “bought into” the re-structuring of the co-op, and took cuts in marts and other co-op services, need a payback now in the milk price.

“We expect them to hold the price, as they did so far this year”, he said. Despite speculation about a Dairygold milk price cut, farmers are confident that the co-op will continue to support 2005 milk prices, in contrast to the policies of the Kerry and Glanbia PLCs.

“Farmers can’t and won’t accept a price cut”, was Sean O’Leary’s message this week to Dairygold, which disappointed milk producers last year by scrapping its usual milk price annual bonus.