IFA National Dairy Chairman Tom Phelan said farmers were disappointed that Lakeland had missed the opportunity to increase their June milk price at a time when this was justified, and their suppliers needed it badly.
He said farmers would not tolerate other co-ops, many of which paid less than Lakeland for May milk, using the Lakeland example as an excuse: “They can and must do better”, Tom Phelan said.
“I have called for co-ops to include the May fodder/weather support into the June base price, and to further increase the June base by at least 1c/l. This is fully justified by increased market returns during June, and absolutely necessary to support farmers’ cash flow in one of the most challenging years many have ever experienced,” he concluded.