Aurivo Co-operative has today (Tuesday, April 2) announced a new 0.5c/L sustainability milk bonus as part of its Aurivo Future Milk Programme.
The new bonus payment is aimed at helping milk suppliers protect and enhance the environment, as well as improve farm profitability.
The co-op said that suppliers will automatically qualify for the 0.5c/L plus VAT payment on all milk supplied in 2024 from the month the application form is completed and returned until the end of the year.
This means that suppliers who return an application form in April will receive the bonus payment from April until December 2024.
Aurivo
Aurivo said that for the second and subsequent years of the measure, suppliers will receive 0.5c/L plus VAT each month.
The processor said that those payments will be based on the previous year’s data.
In order to be eligible for the payment in Year 2 and subsequent years, suppliers must complete the Bord Bia sustainability survey.
Farmers will also be required to complete at least three of the following measures to receive the bonus payment:
- Complete four milk recordings per year;
- Use one tonne of protected urea per 100,000 litres of milk supplied;
- Somatic cell count (SCC) below 150 or reduce by 5% annually;
- Attend a water training event annually;
- Use dairy bulls with a minimum Economic Breeding Index (EBI) of €230 and beef bulls minimum Dairy Beef Index (DBI) of €100;
- Genotype replacement heifer calves born in the herd each year.
For year two, farmers must have completed the Bord Bia sustainability survey before January 31, 2025 and three of the other six measures must have been completed by December 31st 2024.
Milk suppliers
Chief executive of Aurivo Co-operative, Donal Tierney said that Aurivo’s 1,000 milk suppliers are committed to producing the highest quality milk and protecting the environment.
“At Aurivo, we know we have an important role to play in supporting farmers on their sustainability journey and this new sustainability bonus acts as a means of acknowledging the work they are doing to enhance the environment whether that is through water quality management, biodiversity initiatives or improving herd efficiency.
“The new payment is based off a robust series of measures to ensure farmers who receive the payment are taking tangible steps to reduce their carbon footprint and improve water quality.
“Aurivo milk advisors are on hand to support farmers every step of the way to ensure they get the most benefit from the programme,” he said.