This article is from page 36 of the 2008-04-01 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
MARY Coughlan has missed a golden opportunity to restructure the milk sector and make it more attrac- tive for young farmers. That is the opinion of Macra President, Cather- ine Buckley, who last week hit out at the Minister for her “disappointing” performance on the milk quota re- eul(qnunwperce
Last Wednesday, Coughlan an- nounced the allocation of the two per cent increase in milk quota.
“It was a lost opportunity by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisher- ies and Food to bring about real re- structuring to the industry,” said Ms
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“We are constantly reminded of the poor age structure of the dairy in- dustry by all involved, yet when the Minster is given a golden opportuni- ty to readdress the issue and target a portion of the quota increase to new entrants, she chooses to instead allo- cate quota through a mechanism that favours larger and more established OJ ROLeLU once
Macra na Feirme had called for the targeting of a portion of the two per cent increase in national milk quota to young farmers who want to enter CREDO mys ercemOLULMAYelOm-DuoMebNBuS LOR VaUbOT-ce ble to do so by traditional routes such as inheritance or partnership.
“The real benefit of quota increases to the industry would have been re- alised if this approach was taken,” continued Buckley.
“Larger and long established pro- ducers are the real winners, while new entrants are ruled out from what has become a closed industry unless you have deep pockets to purchase | UCele: Kom) tIKcsmmlelomnnleleinm iam
Speaking at the opening of the new Emmental Cheese facility at Tip- perary Co-op last week, Munister Coughlan defended her position.
The Minister said that she had con- sidered a number of allocation op- tions that had been suggested to her by various organisations.
However, she was satisfied that allocating two per cent additional quota to every active producer active today, April 1, 2008 was the fairest and most equitable manner of al- location in that it rewarded farmers proportionately for the efforts they had made individually to building up their farm enterprises.
“In making this decision I am con- scious of the fact that further quota increases will be agreed in future years as the EU moves in the direc- tion of quota abolition in 2015. I will publish a notice giving effect to this decision shortly. The additional quo- ta will be available to producers with effect from April 1,” she said.