Over the past couple of months two high profile dairy companies in the US – Dean Foods and Borden – have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

A dairy co-op is suing a cold store operator for nearly €9m over damage to its butter products when racking in a refrigerated warehouse collapsed.

The "cheap food" policy and the funding of anti-farmer publicity campaigns have been strongly criticised by the family farm organisation, ICMSA, which has also described division among farmers as "not a healthy situation".

The United Nations “are not wrong” in urging people eat less meat and dairy, said Joe Healy, president of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

Mikey was frantic, as he tried to describe the state that he found his best cow in first thing that morning.

What distinguishes farmhouse cheddar from the more available dairy version?

The Irish dairy sector is a huge contributor to growth in economic activity across the rural Irish economy, supporting over 60,000 jobs, according to food economist and consultant Ciaran Fitzgerald.

West Cork-based Drinagh Co-op increased its operating profit of €0.8m during 2018, with the creamery’s milk volumes up 6% versus 2017, its mill output up 30% and store sales up 10%.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has criticised French handlers who were filmed allegedly abusing Irish cattle in Cherbourg.

Michael Doran is quite a new entrant to dairy farming based at Johnstown, Duncormick, Co Wexford.

The Dairygold Co-op board has maintained the March milk price at the February level of 31.19 cent per litre (cpl), including VAT, and a 0.65cpl quality and sustainability bonus.

Dairy is Ireland’s most sustainable farm enterprise in income terms, Teagasc has outlined in a report issued at its Sustainability Conference in Dublin.

Lakeland Dairies and LacPatrick Dairies have welcomed regulatory approval for the merger of both Societies.

The meat and dairy industries have lost out in the battle for the hearts and minds of consumers.

Highly profitable dairy farmers learned in the University of Life how to be financially savvy and understand the figures, said agricultural consultant and land agent Mike Brady, when he outlined seven key characteristics of high profitability in milk production, at the recent Irish Grassland Association Annual Dairy Conference, writes Eoin McCarthy

The EU dairy market got a shot in the arm last week, with the biggest intervention skimmed milk powder sale since public tenders began in December, 2016.

Massive labour shortages in sectors such as agriculture may be exacerbated if and when the UK withdraws from the EU, warned Cork North Central Fianna Fail TD Billy Kelleher last week.

The number of registered liquid milk dairy farmers in Ireland has dropped significantly in recent years, falling from 3,113 to just 1,901 in 15 years.

Any doubts that Ireland is well placed to help feed Asia were dispelled last week when Wyeth Nutrition (China) signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives from the Irish dairy industry on imports estimated to be worth at least €2.5bn in the next three years.

The families behind Ireland’s high-performing dairy industry had their day in the sun at the NDC and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards presentation.

Dairygold Co-op has left the base price paid for milk supplied in July unchanged, at 32c per litre including a 0.5cpl quality bonus and VAT, based on standard constituents of 3.3% protein and 3.6% butterfat.

A sustained multi-faceted campaign is needed to change the view of dairy farming from one of long hours, physically demanding work, and poor pay, to that of a modern, high-tech industry.

Ornua, which helps sell €2bn worth of Irish dairy products around the world, including its Kerrygold brand, said it will escape any fallout from the US trade sanctions on Iran because it does not currently distribute dairy products to the Middle East state.

Work load phenomenal for farmers whose wells have dried up, says Ger Quain

A 5% fall in the GDT Price Index in New Zealand on Tuesday compared starkly with improved dairy market sentiment reported at last week’s EU Milk Market Observatory meeting.

Instead of joining the dairy boom, the O’Rourkes converted a milking parlour to a sanctuary for those needing therapy. Trish Flanagan reports

Since the removal of milk quotas in 2015, there has been increased interest in milk production as a career amongst existing drystock farmers.

West Cork cheesemakers, Carbery Group, have reported a 22.7% rise in turnover for last year.

West Cork co-ops joined other processors this week by introducing a 2c per litre support, to offset a 2c March milk price cut.

Just how tough the milk business can be has been described by Glanbia Ireland CEO Jim Bergin.

Easterly winds last week brought a welcome drying of the land, but were followed by deluges that undid the benefits of drying winds.

Stephen Cadogan talks to new dairy farmers’ leader Pat McCormack ahead of tomorrow’ first big test for the ICMSA President

One in nine Dutch dairy farmers has been banned from selling or buying cattle because they are suspected of fiddling the books in order to get round the new strict rules in the Netherlands on manure and phosphate reduction.

Increased rainfall could boost production in the last three months of New Zealand’s milk season.

I refer to dairy farmers concerned with milk market profits and oversupplies of milk, and recent articles in national papers about how dairy farmers are risking damage to market with oversupply.

Confirmation from New Zealand that drought will set back the annual milk supply by a predicted 3% has helped to strengthen weakening global markets for dairy products.

The leaders of Ireland’s co-operatives, including dairy processors and national livestock marts, will gather at UCC tomorrow to discuss strategies for the future success of our industry in an increasingly competitive global environment.

Tuesday’s GlobalDairyTrade auction heralded a return to severe global dairy market volatility, with prices at the benchmark auction rising at their fastest pace in seven months, two weeks after they fell to a 14-month low, writes Stephen Cadogan.

Ireland has broken the link between increased agricultural output and increasing greenhouse gas production, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed.

Britain’s poorest families will face the biggest food price hikes if Brexit happens without the UK reaching a withdrawal deal with the EU, a new report warns.

The Global Dairy Trade auction on October 17 will be closely watched by all in the dairy industry, for signs of a weakening global market, following a surprise 2.4% fall in the overall GDT price index at last Tuesday’s auction.

Jill Smith, a Co Cork dairy farmer, isn’t retiring, but her herd is — to a sanctuary in England.