Louth IFA expresses disappointment at cut in milk price

Louth IFA Dairy Chairman Nicholas Cooney has said that the decision by Glanbia to cut the February milk price by "a massive 3c/l is extremely disappointing".

The dairy chairman cited the long, cold and wet winter, have gone through as well as the "extremely late spring and the most severe snow storm in a generation right in the middle of the 2018 calving period."

“Farmers will be all the more disappointed as February milk volumes will be low because of challenging production conditions, and supporting farmers in this difficult period would not have been overly onerous on Glanbia", Mr Cooney said. 

He continued, "Board members must reflect on this and bear in mind the massive additional costs and stresses their suppliers have just gone through when it comes to deciding on milk prices in the coming months.

“We fully acknowledge that market returns are more challenging, with powder and many other commodities weaker than in 2017, though butter prices have been picking up by €310/t since mid-January.

“However, farmers have just lived through a horrendous long, wet and cold winter, a very late spring, topped by the most severe snow storm since 1947.

"Even the bad weather bonus of 1c/l will not make up in farmers’ minds for the severity of the 3c/l cut in these difficult times,” he added.

“It is a shame that the goodwill created by Glanbia’s hard work and quick action during the snow storm will now be all but wiped out in farmers’ minds.

"I urge Glanbia board members to stop and reflect on the huge extra costs, workload and stresses their fellow suppliers have been experiencing these last months when deciding on milk prices going forward,” he concluded.