merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, has issued a further reminder to dairy farmers of the critical importance of ensuring that their production remains within quota this year. While National production was marginally under quota at the end of 2011, a repeat in the January to April 2012 period of the production pattern in the same period last year, will result in a superlevy.

The Minister also took the opportunity to remind farmers of their obligations under the milk quota regulations. He pointed out that a milk producer may only sell or supply milk that has been produced by his or her own cows and that milk can only be sold or supplied to a registered milk purchaser with whom they have a quota allocation. Producers should also be aware that all of the milk produced must be counted against their milk quota from the moment it leaves their farm.

Under the Milk Quota Regulations, anyone who contravenes the legislation, or assists in such contravention, is liable for a super levy fine on all of the milk delivered by him or her during the milk quota year and they may also be liable for prosecution. Inspectors from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are actively enforcing the regulations and will take appropriate action if any non compliances are detected or reported to them.