€800m EU fund sought to aid dairy farmers

The Government wants the European Commission to tap into an €800m superlevy package as part of a major intervention plan to help dairy farmers hit by collapsing incomes.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney confirmed yesterday that the plan, which will be discussed by European agriculture ministers in Brussels next Monday, includes:

• Proposals to increase the intervention price on milk powders;
• The provision of aid-to- private-storage for cheese products until the market price improves;
• A 70% advance on area payments due to farmers over the coming week.