Representatives of Dairygold met on Sunday with a group of suppliers looking to scrap new conditions the co-op is planning to attach to supplier eligibility for future year-end bonuses, milk price top ups and feed rebates.
Dairygold announced in December proposals that would see any future supplier loyalty schemes only paid in full to individual suppliers if they had purchased at least 6c/l of farm inputs from the co-op over that year.
On Sunday, co-op chair Pat Clancy, vice chair Donal Shinnick and CEO Michael Harte met with five milk suppliers - Eoin Burke, Tadhg McSweeney, Ned O’Keeffe, Nigel Sweetnam and Niall Twomey – who formed a committee opposing the planned changes.
This committee was formed after a group of suppliers against the changes met in Firgrove last Monday in a meeting labelled “disappointing” by Dairygold’s CEO.
Responding to the meeting with Dairygold’s representatives, Niall Twomey said the committee’s “dissatisfactions were aired”.
“Our number one goal is to get the 6c/l loyalty bonus removed with immediate effect,” he commented.
“Dairygold responded positively to our demands but they need to meet the regional committee during the week. We gave them until Friday afternoon to respond.
“We want the bonus removed and to be back in division one of the milk price league. Dairygold shouldn't have to rely on enforced loyalty."
‘Many meetings’
The co-op has said that meeting the suppliers’ committee was “constructive and helpful in clarifying the society’s position on a range of matters which have been raised in recent weeks”.
It stated that Dairygold held “many” meetings with suppliers over the past two weeks on the recently proposed amendments to loyalty bonuses and that it will hold more meetings this week.
“Over the last fortnight Dairygold has sought the opinion of members who attended Dairygold’s focus groups and engaged with a wide range of other members,” the co-op said in a statement.
“Over the coming four days the board and management are meeting the Dairygold regional committee members across six Dairygold regions, as part of its monthly engagement process.
“As a co-operative society, Dairygold is a democratic organisation with a very strong representative structure that allows all members to voice their opinions.
“The feedback from all of these engagements will be considered by the board later this week with a view to deciding next steps.”
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Representatives of Dairygold met on Sunday with a group of suppliers looking to scrap new conditions the co-op is planning to attach to supplier eligibility for future year-end bonuses, milk price top ups and feed rebates.
Dairygold announced in December proposals that would see any future supplier loyalty schemes only paid in full to individual suppliers if they had purchased at least 6c/l of farm inputs from the co-op over that year.
On Sunday, co-op chair Pat Clancy, vice chair Donal Shinnick and CEO Michael Harte met with five milk suppliers - Eoin Burke, Tadhg McSweeney, Ned O’Keeffe, Nigel Sweetnam and Niall Twomey – who formed a committee opposing the planned changes.
This committee was formed after a group of suppliers against the changes met in Firgrove last Monday in a meeting labelled “disappointing” by Dairygold’s CEO.
Responding to the meeting with Dairygold’s representatives, Niall Twomey said the committee’s “dissatisfactions were aired”.
“Our number one goal is to get the 6c/l loyalty bonus removed with immediate effect,” he commented.
“Dairygold responded positively to our demands but they need to meet the regional committee during the week. We gave them until Friday afternoon to respond.
“We want the bonus removed and to be back in division one of the milk price league. Dairygold shouldn't have to rely on enforced loyalty."
‘Many meetings’
The co-op has said that meeting the suppliers’ committee was “constructive and helpful in clarifying the society’s position on a range of matters which have been raised in recent weeks”.
It stated that Dairygold held “many” meetings with suppliers over the past two weeks on the recently proposed amendments to loyalty bonuses and that it will hold more meetings this week.
“Over the last fortnight Dairygold has sought the opinion of members who attended Dairygold’s focus groups and engaged with a wide range of other members,” the co-op said in a statement.
“Over the coming four days the board and management are meeting the Dairygold regional committee members across six Dairygold regions, as part of its monthly engagement process.
“As a co-operative society, Dairygold is a democratic organisation with a very strong representative structure that allows all members to voice their opinions.
“The feedback from all of these engagements will be considered by the board later this week with a view to deciding next steps.”
Read more
Dairygold meeting 'wasn't balanced' - CEO
Dairygold suppliers vent anger over milk price and bonus
Dairygold co-op criticism: the quotes from the floor
Dairygold addresses farmer concerns over debt levels
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