Farming special - Day 3: 

The 184 farmers for whom milk production is their principal enterprise were asked in the Irish Examiner ICMSA farming survey how much they intend to change their milk output, if at all, after milk quotas are being abolished in 2015. 

One in three anticipated no change up to 2020, but nearly half of the farmers anticipate a growth of 10-30%.

In detail, 15% expect up to 10% extra milk; 15% expect 10-20% extra milk; and 18% expect 20-30% extra milk.

Those with big plans to increase milk output by more than 50% constituted 5% of the sample, 3% expect 40-50% extra milk; and 7% expect 30-40% extra milk.

In a related part of the survey, the 391 non-dairy farmers were asked would they consider going into dairy after milk quotas are abolished in 2015. Only 1% responded “Don’t know”; 93% said No, and only 6% said Yes (they were equally divided between livestock and tillage).