Dairy 2015: Let’s Work on Coping Strategies, Not Talk Ourselves into a Crisis

Referencing the comment by EU Commissioner Phil Hogan at last week’s IFA 60th Anniversary celebrations, IFA National Dairy Chairman Sean O’Leary has urged all industry stakeholders to avoid talking the sector into a worse crisis than the admittedly difficult markets justify.

“For starters, I urge all co-ops to follow the Lakeland and Glanbia example and hold their December milk price,” Mr O’Leary said.

“2015 will undoubtedly be a challenging year for dairy farmers with poorer milk prices than expected and large superlevy fines and tax liabilities eroding cash flow. However, it will also be the first year, after 31st March, that farmers can increase supplies to boost income,” Mr O’Leary said.

“Too many commentators have been talking down the market in recent months. What farmers really need to hear from the sector is what strategies it will put in place to help producers manage through the difficult months ahead,” he said.

“Later this spring, IFA will hold regional seminars to challenge the dairy industry, banks, input providers and advisory service providers as to what strategies and instruments they will develop to support dairy farmers through the difficult early months of 2015, and for future episodes of volatility,” he said.

“All these stakeholders stand to benefit greatly from the planned dairy expansion, and they owe it to primary producers to help them sustain the profitability levels they will need to deliver on the milk output growth,” he concluded.