Dermot Coyle, head of farmer relations with Lakeland Dairies, said the opening of the register, which has been closed for a number of years, will give non-shareholders in Lakeland the opportunity to become shareholders. The opportunity to become a shareholder will run from 1 December 2015 to 31 January 2016.

Only milk suppliers to Lakeland can become shareholders in the co-op, which has informed its suppliers of the news via its monthly newsletter. There are approximately 3,100 Lakeland milk suppliers on the island of Ireland and the vast majority of them would have shares in the company already, according to Coyle.

Coyle said that each share has a nominal price of 5c and that Lakeland is open to reviewing the policy again next year.

In the Irish Farmers Journal's monthly milk league for September, Lakeland is bottom of division two and fourth from the end of the overall league, ahead of Glanbia, Centenary/Thurles co-op and Aurivo. There is a large group in division two paying between €3.45 and €3.50/kg MS, which includes Lakeland Dairies.

Apart from Carbery, all major processors held their milk price for September with Lakeland holding at 26.25c/l.