Minister Coffey welcomes the end of milk quotas for Dairy farmers

Fine Gael Waterford Minister Paudie Coffey has said as of midnight, Wednesday 1st April, Irish dairy farmers are no longer obliged to limit their productivity in order to comply with milk quotas. Farmers will be free to increase their productivity as they will no longer be constrained by the limitations of milk quotas. Minister Coffey welcomed the long awaited abolition of milk quotas:

“This is a fantastic day for dairy farming in Ireland. For the past thirty years, farmers have developed hugely, however under the quota system- farmers were not able to reach their full potential. The lifting of quotas will allow the Irish dairy sector develop and expand as the dairy industry in New Zealand did in the 1980s.”

Minister Coffey continued:

“Irish farmers are among the best in the world. The Irish dairy industry produces some of the highest quality milk in the world- it is about time farmers can take advantage of the brilliant reputation which they have worked hard to build. This will allow Irish Farmers to compete and win new contracts on the national stage which will be very positive for Ireland’s rural economy and jobs.”

“The expansion of dairy farming that the removal of milk quotas will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the economy- studies are already predicting that it could lead to the creation of 10,000 jobs. This is great news for the agricultural industry and the Irish economy.”

“I am delighted to see farmers getting an opportunity to grow and take advantage of Ireland’s fantastic reputation as a leader in milk production. Dairy farmers in Waterford have been preparing for this for a long time and will undoubtedly be delighted with today’s abolition. In the past few weeks, I attended the opening of the Glanbia’s new facility in Belview Port, this is just one of many demonstrations of the positive outcomes of the abolition of milk quotas. Irish dairy industry will finally be able to compete on the international stage”

—ENDS—-