Milk Supply Agreements will protect suppliers’ best interests in the future, ICOS stated today (Wednesday 23^rd January, 2013).

In a post quota environment, where milk volumes are anticipated to expand rapidly, it is in a milk supplier’s interest to have as much certainty as possible that the volumes of milk he plans to produce will be assembled, processed marketed and sold.

It is also in the co-op’s interest to have as much certainty as possible in regard to the volumes of milk it will have to process and market.  As milk suppliers in the UK have learned to their cost, it should not be taken for granted that processors have the processing capacity and market outlets at all times for the volumes of milk that producers wish to supply.

“Milk Supply Agreements or contracts are entirely in keeping with the co-op ethos and the requirement of a co-op to maximise benefits to its members”, says ICOS chief executive Seamus O’Donohoe.

“ICOS wishes to make it clear that it has been the organisation’s policy since early 2010 that co-ops and their members should enter into Milk Supply Agreements or contracts to protect the interests of both parties in the post-Quota era.

“Such agreements give suppliers the assurance that their milk will be processed and the co-op the certainty that investment in new capacity will be optimally utilised.  Co-ops cannot afford to risk their members’ capital on expansion projects if they cannot be sure of the milk supply to utilise the additional capacity. The most effective way to offer some degree of certainty to both parties is through a Milk Supply Agreement.” O’Donohoe said.

“The contention that now is the first time that co-op members have been bound by a written contract or milk supply agreement is not correct. Legislation has always made it clear that the rule book of each society constitutes a written contract between the member and his society.  What is perhaps new for many members is their awareness that they are already a party to a written contract.  As we move into an era without quotas to constrain milk volumes, clearly, some form of revised agreement must take the place of the quota regulations.”

“With the ending of quota co-ops need to reduce the level of risk they will be exposed to in borrowing large amounts of capital to expand processing and marketing capacity.  Milk suppliers are the primary providers of finance to their co-operative through the milk margin retained.  Traditionally, due to the emphasis on the part of co-ops to pay out the maximum amount possible to their members, that margin has been low and just sufficient to keep co-operatives in a ‘steady state’.  As we enter a period of milk expansion, the co-operatives reliance on margin must be supplemented by further bank borrowings and member contributions.

“Members are being asked to achieve a ‘share standard’ proportionate to the volumes of milk that they wish to supply to the co-op and to contribute loan stock on the same basis.  This is fair; any alternative financing proposal could involve the co-op in an excessive level of debt or involve the participation of external investors, both options could result ultimately in a loss of member control of the co-op.

“Bearing in mind that the objective of a co-operative is to maximise benefit to the user member and that the member owns and controls the co-operative, the requirement that members voluntarily enter an agreement to sign a written contract, for example seven years, in the case of Dairygold, is reasonable by reference to the interests of both parties.

“Co-operative milk supply agreements which are approved by a board of directors elected by their fellow farmers are carefully drafted with the most positive and best of motives. They are designed with the object of keeping the supplier members’ best long term interest as their priority, while at the same time ensuring the sustainability of the co-operative for succeeding generations of dairy farmers,” said O’Donohoe

 ICOS affiliated organisations in Ireland have a combined turnover in excess of €12 billion and over 150,000 individual members.  There are some 1,000 co-ops in Ireland, and the largest 100 organisations employ approximately 40,000 people.   Irish agricultural exports contribute over €9 billion to the Irish economy each year and the sector accounts for 8% of national employment.

Find ICOS on the web www.icos.ie and Twitter http://twitter.com/ICOS_BXL

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Media Information:  Tim Kinsella, MKC Communications, 086 813 7512