The Dealer hears rumours that there has been at least a dozen notice to quit milk supply letters handed into Tipperary Co-op in recent weeks.

The co-op rules state that anyone planning to leave can only do so 12 months after 1 November. Another chunk of suppliers gave their notice in over the summer.

If the merger with Arrabawn goes ahead and is successful, you’d imagine a lot of these farmers will decide to withdraw their notice and stick with the new entity.

With Tirlán, Dairygold and Strathroy circling the wagons, they’ll have plenty of other options if they aren’t happy with the outcome.