Milk quota stories were a constant theme in the Irish Farmers Journal archive editions over the past 33 years. In the lead up to their introduction from 1 April 1984, there was a major battle to win concessions for Ireland, including a famous European Council meeting walk out by Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald.

Over the years, certain words became common currency in dairy farming and the Irish Farmers Journal – ring-fencing, Mulder quota, superlevy, flexi-milk, sofa milkers, butterfat reference, temporary leasing, soft landing and milk quota exchange.

Like the vast majority of dairy farmers, we will be glad to consign these terms to the archives.