In terms of my priorities for the next four years as IFA national dairy committee chairman-elect, I will be looking to ensure farmers are paid the best possible milk price.

An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for Glanbia Ingredients Ireland Ltd’s (GIIL) proposed milk powder development at the IDA site at Belview, Co Kilkenny.

Farmers are bitterly disappointed with Irish dairy co-ops who have failed to increase their August milk price to suppliers despite upward trends at global auctions, says the IFA national dairy committee chairman Kevin Kiersey.

The IFA has welcomed Glanbia’s decision to add 1c to the price per litre being paid to suppliers, effectively lifting its August milk price to 28.09c/l plus Vat.

Bad weather, price cuts, and fodder shortages have all combined to shatter confidence among the farming community, according to the IFA.

Slowing milk production in the northern half of the world has led to the second highest price rise in 14 months in the GlobalDairyTrade auction conducted by Fonterra of New Zealand.

Dairy farmers are retaining some hope of a profitable 2012 following this week’s decision by Glanbia to hold its June milk price at 28.5c per litre, including Vat.

Irish dairy co-ops have come under renewed pressure to reinstate their March milk prices as stable trading at yesterday’s latest global dairy trade auction followed a series of upward markets.

Glanbia and the Co Cork dairy co-ops have come under intense pressure from farmers to support milk prices.

Dairy farmers are contacting regional co-ops today to urge them to retain current milk prices on foot of a huge upturn in price at yesterday’s Fonterra dairy auction.

The Milk Quota Appeals Tribunal should be reviewed to avoid crippling superlevy fines being imposed on dairy farmers whose herds have been restricted for lengthy periods due to animal disease problems, according to the IFA.

Superlevy fines estimated at up to €10m are looking likely for Ireland, despite Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands also struggling to stay within their milk quotas.

The weakness of the euro has delivered a timely boost to Irish dairy exports, ensuring that co-ops are in a position to hold current milk prices, according to one industry expert.

IRISH milk producers are continuing to pull back production in order to avoid superlevy next March, said IFA National Dairy Committee chairman Kevin Kiersey.

DAIRYGOLD will not rush to invest farmers’ money in new processing facilities until it has exhausted all “brown-field” options, according to chief executive Jim Woulfe.

FARMERS will get monthly and quarterly guides to the performance of dairy products with a new Purchasing Price Index from the Irish Dairy Board.

IFA National Dairy Committee chairman Kevin Kiersey has urged all over-quota dairy farmers and all co-ops to work closely together to avoid the wasteful cost of milk superlevy.

WITH two days to go to the end of the 2010/11 milk quota year, IFA National Dairy Committee chairman Kevin Kiersey urged all over quota dairy farmers and all co-ops to work closely together in coming days to avoid the “wasteful cost of superlevy for this year”.

FARMERS have responded positively to Glanbia’s decision to revise its index-linked milk price scheme to ensure greater flexibility in reacting to future input cost inflation.

DAIRY groups have welcomed yesterday’s move by the Glanbia board to increase its January milk price by 1.44c/l to 29.94c/l (+VAT).

ACTIVE dairy farmers need to increase their share of co-op ownership from its current 30% level, plus invest in new on-farm facilities if the sector is to achieve its ambitious expansion plans, said IFA national dairy committee chairman Kevin Kiersey.

EUROPEAN Union draft regulations on milk published yesterday do little to protect farmers against unfair retail pricing and future market fluctuations, say Ireland’s main dairy farmer groups.

INTERNATIONAL dairy prices are showing clear signs of stabilising, despite concerns over increased global milk supplies, according to IFA national dairy committee chairman Kevin Kiersey.

THE new Munster vice president of the Irish Farmers Association is Chris Hayes, a former chairman of the West Cork county IFA executive.

THE European Union wants national competition authorities to investigate why huge drops in the prices paid to farmers for milk, butter and cheese are not being passed on to consumers.

THE EU wants national competition authorities to investigate why huge drops in the prices paid to farmers for milk, butter and cheese are not being passed on to consumers.

THE average Irish dairy farmer will lose €19,000 this year as the income crisis on Irish dairy family farms intensifies, the IFA said yesterday.

DAIRYGOLD chairman Vincent Buckley has told the IFA the company is in a healthy financial position.

THE deterioration in the trading outlook for both Dairygold Co-op and Reox Holdings has raised major concerns among farmers.

FARMERS want milk processors to maintain raw milk prices until the spring of next year as increasing production costs hit farmer’s profits.

DAIRY farmers held an emergency meeting in Tralee last night to call on Kerry Co-op to adjust its milk price upwards.

FOOD company Glanbia is shutting down part of its Waterford plant with the loss of 35 jobs.

IFA National Dairy Committee chairman Richard Kennedy has attacked milk processors for under-paying farmers for raw milk.

FARM leaders have called on co-ops to reverse the milk price cuts that they imposed in recent months.