Farmers from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) will travel to Brussels next Monday 27 May to participate in a protest being mounted by the European Milk Board (EMB).

The EMB is the continent-wide umbrella association of EU specialist dairy farmer organisations, of which the ICMSA is the Irish constituent.

The protest, titled ‘Fair Income For Farmers Now!’, by dairy farmers from right across the EU is timed to coincide with that day’s agriculture and fisheries council and the run-up to World Milk Day.

“[The] ICMSA is an active and proud member of [the] EMB and sits on the board of that pan-EU dairy farmer alliance of organisations,” ICMSA president Denis Drennan said.

'Historic threat'

“We’ll be there with our colleagues from right across the continent demanding that the EU and member states finally realise and act on the historic threat to farmer incomes and the ability of the EU to feed itself going forward.

“There must be a change in attitudes towards farming and indigenous food production that allows farmers and farm families to make a viable income without having to surrender and exit the sector.

"The elections on 7 June are the chance for farmers to express their wishes and we urge them to exercise that choice in their own interests.

“In the meantime, [the] ICMSA will fly the flag for Irish farming in Brussels next Monday 27 May,” Drennan said.