ICMSA welcome Lakeland Dairies end-of-year bonus and call on others to follow

Commenting on the first price announcement for the final month of 2024 Milk Prices, the Chairperson of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee. Noel Murphy stated that while the base price remained unchanged for November, it was encouraging and positive to see Lakeland Diaries pay a bonus of 0.8cpl paid on all milk supplied to them in 2024.  Mr Murphy observed that while the latter months of 2024 were positive, there is no doubt that the first eight months will ‘last long in the memory’ for the wrong reasons: “From non-stop rain to a lack of fodder, there seemed to be no end to the problems until the Autumn when it seemed that farmers got the break that we needed. This bonus is another welcome step away from those first eight miserable months.”

Mr. Murphy said that this bonus is significant, and Lakeland Dairies are to be commended on it – not least because it signposts the way for other Co-op milk purchasers to do the same.“It is vital as we set into our busiest time of year where many will be calving intensively for the next two months. This bonus is the equivalent of €4,000 to a supplier of 500.000 litres and if this were to be replicated across the country by all other Co-operatives and milk purchasers it would lead to a direct injection of €68 million of badly needed cashflow to farmers. Given how farmers spend their money in their communities and their multiplier effect, this end-of-year bonus would be worth over €150m to the local Irish economy. This is what dairy farming is all about and if you look at the work and spirit those farmers showed in their local communities during the recent weather and snowfall, then it’s very safe to assume that that bonus spend would be spent straight back into their local communities and economies. ICMSA repeats our call on all Co-ops and milk purchasers to pay the end-of-year bonus that not only needed but also very well deserved”, he concluded.

Ends         14 January 2025

Noel Murphy, 086-3815575

Chairperson, ICMSA Dairy Committee

Or

Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758

ICMSA Press Office