The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has called on all co-op milk purchasers to give end-of-year bonuses to their suppliers, which could provide €68m for Irish dairy farmers.
It comes after Lakeland Dairies announced a bonus of 0.8c/l paid on all milk supplied to them in 2024, which the association welcomed.
Meanwhile, Lakeland also announced that its price of milk supplied in December would remain unchanged from the previous month.
Commenting on the announcement, ICMSA dairy committee chair Noel Murphy said there is no doubt that the first eight months will "last long in the memory" for the wrong reasons.
“From non-stop rain to a lack of fodder, there seemed to be no end to the problems until the autumn, when it seemed that farmers got the break that we needed,” he said.
“This bonus is another welcome step away from those first eight miserable months.”
Bonuses
This bonus is the equivalent of €4,000 to a supplier of 500,000 litres.
If this were to be replicated across the country by all other co-operatives and milk purchasers, it would lead to a direct injection of €68m to farmers, according to the ICMSA.
Commending Lakeland Dairies for its action, the ICMSA has called on other milk purchasers to do the same.
“It is vital as we set into our busiest time of year where many will be calving intensively for the next two months,” added Murphy.
“Given how farmers spend their money in their communities and their multiplier effect, this end-of-year bonus would be worth over €150m to the local Irish economy.
“This is what dairy farming is all about and if you look at the work and spirit those farmers showed in their local communities during the recent weather and snowfall, then it’s very safe to assume that that bonus spend would be spent straight back into their local communities and economies.”
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‘We need to be back in division one when it comes to paying for milk’
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) has called on all co-op milk purchasers to give end-of-year bonuses to their suppliers, which could provide €68m for Irish dairy farmers.
It comes after Lakeland Dairies announced a bonus of 0.8c/l paid on all milk supplied to them in 2024, which the association welcomed.
Meanwhile, Lakeland also announced that its price of milk supplied in December would remain unchanged from the previous month.
Commenting on the announcement, ICMSA dairy committee chair Noel Murphy said there is no doubt that the first eight months will "last long in the memory" for the wrong reasons.
“From non-stop rain to a lack of fodder, there seemed to be no end to the problems until the autumn, when it seemed that farmers got the break that we needed,” he said.
“This bonus is another welcome step away from those first eight miserable months.”
Bonuses
This bonus is the equivalent of €4,000 to a supplier of 500,000 litres.
If this were to be replicated across the country by all other co-operatives and milk purchasers, it would lead to a direct injection of €68m to farmers, according to the ICMSA.
Commending Lakeland Dairies for its action, the ICMSA has called on other milk purchasers to do the same.
“It is vital as we set into our busiest time of year where many will be calving intensively for the next two months,” added Murphy.
“Given how farmers spend their money in their communities and their multiplier effect, this end-of-year bonus would be worth over €150m to the local Irish economy.
“This is what dairy farming is all about and if you look at the work and spirit those farmers showed in their local communities during the recent weather and snowfall, then it’s very safe to assume that that bonus spend would be spent straight back into their local communities and economies.”
Read more
Dairygold suppliers vent anger over milk price and bonus
Lakeland announces loyalty payment with December milk price
‘We need to be back in division one when it comes to paying for milk’
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