Dairygold must address issues

Dairygold’s board needs to recognise the genuine concerns and anger among farmers regarding its planned milk supply agreement, says Julian O’Keeffe, chairperson of North & East Cork ICMSA.

Mr O’Keeffe was speaking following the ICMSA’s meeting in Millstreet on Tuesday, which dealt with the Dairygold milk supply agreement. Dairygold chief executive Jim Woulfe, the co-op’s chairman, Bertie O’Leary, and other senior executives attended.

Mr O’Keeffe said: “The abolition of milk quotas in 2015 is coming closer. Along with the hopes and expectations involved, there is growing concerns among milk suppliers regarding the stability of arrangements post-quota and the possibility that price volatility and see-saw price and supply movements will undermine the viability of milk suppliers.