Grain growers hit out at co-ops

GRAIN growers say co-ops are bad for them.

They say farmers dealing with the Dairygold and Glanbia co-ops have done worse than those trading grain farm-to–farm, and sourcing inputs from independent merchants.

During last week’s protests at feed mills in Cos Laois and Wexford, IFA national grain chairman Colum McDonnell called on Glanbia to pass back some benefits to farmers of their buying power in the farm inputs market, and the significant value added to grain through its compound feed milling.