Two Irish co-operatives, Glanbia Co-op and Farm Relief Service (FRS) Network, have been short-listed for the 2017 European Award for Cooperative Innovation.

This initiative, organised by Cogeca, the European Association of Agri-Cooperatives, recognises and promotes outstanding innovation practices and solutions designed by European co-ops.

Glanbia’s Milk Flex Scheme was chosen as a finalist in the category of business model innovation. The scheme offers farmers loans, which are competitively priced and includes volatility triggers which adjusts a farmers repayments in line with milk prices.

FRS Network was short-listed for its Membership Benefit Scheme which provides members with better value rates for FRS Network services, farmer sickness and accident support and insurance against accidental death and injury.

We wish both co-ops the very best of luck!

By Alison Graham

European Affairs Executive