A Galway farmer details the unprecedented turbulence of plummeting milk prices and a “backs to the wall” political battle for the vital Nitrates Derogation.
The international dairy community is navigating a period of intense global turbulence, but for Irish producers, the most immediate threat is internal and regulatory. Experienced dairy farmer Henry Walsh expresses an unprecedented concern that the “ground is shifting,” driven by factors ranging from global conflict to rapid domestic political change. At the forefront of their anxieties is the ability to retain the Nitrates Derogation, a regulatory lifeline for approximately 7,000 farm businesses, which, if lost, would severely undermine their economic viability.
At the farm gate, the financial turbulence is stark. The dairy operation is transitioning out of the grazing season with farm cover dropping to 750kg/ha, requiring supplementation of 3kg/dm of silage and 3kgs of ration to maintain output. The herd is currently producing 15 liters per cow daily, with strong component values (5.7% fat and 4.55% protein, or 1.55kg/ms). However, this productivity is overshadowed by a sudden, dramatic drop in the milk price, directly attributed by the producer to a sharp, global increase in milk output, facilitated by access to cheap grain in major competitor countries like the U.S.
The political context surrounding the Derogation is perceived as adversarial. The farmer believes it would be naive to assume full political support, suggesting that bodies like the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), European Parliament, or certain member states are fundamentally opposed to the measure. This opposition is rooted in the belief that the Derogation grants Irish producers an unfair competitive advantage within the EU market. The potential loss is viewed as a convenient route for policymakers who favor a decline in the national herd size.
With the clock ticking, Irish dairy stakeholders face a critical, “backs to the wall” situation to secure the sixth NAP Derogation until 2029. This effort is both technical and intensely political, demanding compelling evidence of actions taken to improve water quality. Adding complexity, they must secure buy-in from other European countries that are naturally wary of the success and premium market access enjoyed by Ireland’s grass-fed dairy produce, complicating the required political consensus.
A central point of contention remains the official reporting on environmental progress. Farmers are deeply frustrated that years of costly and significant on-farm investments—such as installing increased slurry storage capacity, using LESS application technology, and creating riparian buffer zones based on Teagasc/ASSAP advice—are not yielding positive results in national water quality reports from the EPA, which often headline “deterioration” or “declining” status. This mismatch creates a baffling conundrum where visible localized improvements do not align with the reported national outcomes.
Source: Read the full Op-Ed on farming volatility from the Irish Independent.
You can now read the most important #news on #eDairyNews #Whatsapp channels!!!
🇺🇸 eDairy News INGLÊS: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaKsjzGDTkJyIN6hcP1K
