Lacpatrick & Lakeland Merger Must Deliver for All Farmers
IFA President Joe Healy has welcomed the announcement by Lakeland and LacPatrick that their boards had agreed merger terms, to be put to their respective shareholders for a vote on 23rd October.
Mr Healy said: “The merger proposal being recommended to shareholders by both co-op boards must put the merged entity in the best possible position to optimise dairy processing and pay a strong price to farmers. This is particularly critical in the context of Brexit, as both co-ops have farmer members and processing facilities both sides of the border”.
IFA National Dairy Chairman Tom Phelan added: “Dairy farmers in the North East have a proven record of quality milk production. In this respect, I must congratulate wholeheartedly the McKenna family from Derrygasson, Co. Monaghan, suppliers to LacPatrick Co-op, the winners of the Kerrygold/NDC Milk Quality Awards”.
“Dairy farmers in the region need to know that the co-operative business they charge with collecting, processing, adding value and marketing their milk is optimally efficient. This merger proposal must convince shareholders in both LacPatrick and Lakeland that this is the way forward,” he said.
Mr. Phelan concluded by saying that it is important that both co-ops ensure that farmer members are fully informed of the detailed provisions in the merger proposal over the coming days, to be able to make a properly informed decision on 23rd October.
