The Taoiseach, Simon Harris, heard directly today (Friday, May 10) about the “importance” of retaining Ireland’s nitrates derogation during a visit to the headquarters of Dairygold in Mitchelstown.
Dairygold chair, Seán O’Brien, said the co-op underlined to the Taoiseach the significance of Ireland securing the derogation “at the current level beyond 2025”.
The co-op chair said that Dairygold had been “encouraged” by the Taoiseach’s comments last month when he pledged to work and support farmers “so that, together, we retain Ireland’s nitrates derogation which is necessary for our agri-food sector”.
Speaking at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis, held at the University of Galway, last month the Taoiseach had promised farmers that his party would “sit down and work with you and for you”.
Today Dairygold’s chair, said the co-op was delighted to meet the Taoiseach in person to convey its concerns about any potential changes to the nitrates derogation.
O’Brien said: “With a unique grass-based production system, Ireland’s dairy industry is in a competitive and more sustainable position, in comparison to other global milk producing models.
“Dairygold, along with our strategic partners, has invested circa €600 million in our processing facilities while our milk suppliers have invested significantly on their farms.
“The removal of the derogation would have a significant negative economic impact on milk processors and farmers, challenging the future viability of their businesses and severely negatively impacting the rural economy.”
He also detailed that the co-op has a dedicated water quality advisory team in place to advise farmers on measures “to protect and improve water quality”.
“In 2023, they carried out more than 700 farm visits.
“This is one element of Dairygold’s €10 million Grassroots Milk Supplier Sustainability Bonus Programme designed to help our milk suppliers transition to more sustainable farming.
“A retention of the derogation would allow time for the positive impact of these water quality improvement measures to be demonstrated across our catchment region,” O’Brien added.
Dairygold
The Taoiseach also heard today that the co-op is keen to work “hand-in-hand with the government to protect family farms whose livelihood depends on the dairy industry.
The co-op’s interim chief executive, Michael Harte, emphasised at the Mitchelstown HQ that the derogation, “is a critical element in the structure of dairy farming”.
Harte said that Dairygold was committed to working closely with the Taoiseach, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine and other state departments “to strengthen the future of sustainable dairy farming in Ireland.”