Milk Quality Assurance/sustainability Scheme Must Not Give Rise to Additional Farm Levy – Kiersey

At a recent meeting with the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney, IFA National Dairy Committee Chairman Kevin Kiersey said he made it quite clear the development of a dairy milk quality assurance and sustainability scheme must not give rise to an additional levy at farm level.
He said he had strongly impressed on the Minister and at the Irish Dairy Board, that farmers would have to prioritise on-farm investments of up to €1.5bn to deliver on the Food Harvest 2020 50% expansion target. “The processing industry and the Irish Dairy Board have to find ways between them, in conjunction with the Minister, of funding the proposed scheme, which has merit in the context of finding new markets.”

Kevin Kiersey said, “I am very clear that the funding options between the processing and marketing industry and the Department of Agriculture which are currently being explored, will not give rise to any additional levy at farm level