THE world’s largest butter museum is opening free every Friday.

THE search is on to find this year’s top dairy farmers with the invitation of nominations for the National Dairy Council Quality Milk Awards.

THE €1 billion retail dairy sector proved to be resilient last year as the recession forced consumers to tighten their belts on spending.

A SEARCH has been launched by the National Dairy Council through the country’s co-ops to find Ireland’s top dairy farmer.

MILK and dairy products are not very adversely affected in volume terms during times of recession with a reversal to home cooking and more in-home entertaining, the National Dairy Council (NDC) stressed yesterday.

ANIMAL disease compensation is now out of line with market realities, according to ICMSA Dairy Committee chairman Dominic Cronin.

THE Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association has welcomed the changes to the milk quota exchange announced by Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Mary Coughlan.

The National Dairy Council (NDC) has announced the appointment of Helen Brophy as Chief Executive Officer. She joins the NDC from Bord Iascaigh Mhara where she was Market Development Manager.

IRISH co-ops are falling behind European counterparts on milk price, according to IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman Richard Kennedy.

KERRY GROUP has further increased the price it pays its suppliers for milk, due to continued improved returns from international dairy markets.

THE Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association claimed yesterday that an inexplicable and glaring gap has emerged between the price being received by farmers for their milk and the market returns being received by the country’s co-ops.

DAIRYGOLD Co-op announced an increase of 10c per gallon for June milk last Monday — a decision welcomed by ICMSA members protesting outside the co-op meeting.

THE Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association yesterday welcomed Kerry Group’s latest increase in milk price but said farmers still believed there must be a series of other increases in the pipeline.

FARM leaders have welcomed decisions by Dairygold and Connacht Gold to increase the price they pay farmers for milk.

FARMERS were warned yesterday that the country is heading towards a hefty milk super-levy.

POSITIVE developments in dairy markets during the second half of 2006 means dairy farmers can face 2007 with confidence on milk price, according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association.

THE ICMSA yesterday warned farmers that despite earlier predictions Ireland could incur a super levy fine this year.

CERTAIN veterinary medicines for food- producing animals are to be exempted from the general legal requirement that they be supplied only on prescription.

FARMERS under 350,000 litres (76,990 gallons) will get less quota from the exchange than they did from the Restructuring Scheme, said Dominic Cronin, Chairperson of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee.

THE Irish Dairy Board decision to increase the price of skim milk powder by €90/tonne has been welcomed by ICMSA as ‘a significant boost’ to under pressure dairy farmers.

BRUCELLOSIS must not be allowed to re-emerge in the national cattle herd, the ICMSA dairy committee chairman Dominic Cronin said yesterday.

SOME quarters of the dairy sector have reacted very negatively to the quota system that Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan plans to introduce in 2007.

THE retention of milk quota ring-fencing going forward is critical to the maintenance of the dairy industry in vulnerable parts of Ireland in light of the double threat arising from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the nitrates directive, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association warned yesterday.

The ICMSA has urged the Government to reduce disease levies to 2002 levels and fulfil commitments made under the Sustaining Progress social partnership agreement.