Irish minister calls for EU action on milk prices
Liz Truss acknowledged that dairy farmers in the north are facing a "unique and extreme set of circumstances".
Irish agriculture minister Michelle O'Neill has met with Defra secretary Liz Truss to outline the difficulties facing dairy farmers in the north.
Liquid milk prices stood at 19.85 pence per litre (ppl) in June 2015 - a fall of 9.88 ppl compared to last year. This is understood to be well below the cost of milk production.
Minister O'Neill urged Liz Truss to lobby the European Union on behalf of the northern farming industry.
Commenting after the meeting, the minister said the discussion had been "frank and constructive".
"It was very important for her to understand the difficulties facing farmers in the north. Our industry depends heavily on exporting and it has been impacted severely by a combination of adverse exchange rates and poor market conditions."
Liz Truss acknowledged that dairy farmers in the north are facing a "unique and extreme set of circumstances" and said she is committed to taking action.
Minister O'Neill said the issue cannot be resolved at a local level, but needs action from producers, processors, banks and politicians in Westminster and in Europe.
She will also attend next month's meeting of the council in Brussels, where she will call for a review of the current intervention price, which was last reviewed in 2008.
"It is my firm belief that we in the north can better tackle the challenges facing all parts of our farming industry, not just dairy, if we work together," minister O'Neill added.
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