The board of the Swiss Milk Producer’s Association (SMPA) were on a four-day study tour to Ireland this week. They arrived in Dublin on Sunday and spent Monday on Joe Hayden’s dairy farm in Co Wicklow.

This is the first international travel undertaken by the board in a decade and they chose Ireland to get an understanding of our strategy of dealing with the post-quota milk production era. Further visits including Co Wicklow tourist attractions followed on Tuesday before returning to Switzerland on Wednesday.

Listen to an interview with visiting Swiss farmer Stefan Hagenbuch in our podcast below:

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The Swiss ended quotas in 2009, though it remains a heavily protected market for dairy products with the exception of cheese. While Swiss farmers receive at least twice the Irish price for their milk on average, their production costs are so high as to leave a very small profit margin.

The SMPA represents dairy farmers in Switzerland. As well as being an advocate for dairy farmers, it is also active in consumer marketing of milk and dairy products and provides an information service for members.

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