NI MEP, James Nicholson presented his dairy European Parliament Committee on Agriculture on 24^th March.

While the report was broadly welcomed by most of the MEPs, yet again there were some calls for supply management, something that ICOS has completely rejected and defended against.

Key aspects that ICOS welcome in the report include the examination and support of market supports for the sector in times of crisis, opening of new third country markets, protection of dairy in vulnerable areas and also development of private tools at co-op level to help farmer members mitigate the effects of volatility such as forward contracts and futures.

The Commission have stated their appreciation for the Nicholson report which they said they found very balanced.

As Mairead McGuiness is working on a report on the supply chain issue, especially the relation with retailers, MEP Nicholson did not include a paragraph on this issue in his report.

The dairy report vote in the European Parliaments Committee on Agriculture is scheduled for 5th May.