Tirlán chair John Murphy has said that Ireland’s dairy farmers will have been “led up the garden path” if the nitrates derogation is not renewed.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at Tullamore Show on Sunday, he said he was very disappointed with the inclusion of terms around the Habitats Directive when it comes to the renewal of the nitrates derogation.

“A big national effort has gone into the case for the renewal of the derogation which has resulted in success, especially with the drop in nitrates this year.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’re well on the way. If science and logic apply to this derogation, I think it’s a done deal,” he said.

Following a recent meeting in Brussels with senior nitrates officials, Murphy said he asked if the Habitats Directive was going to be a “blocker” to the derogation being renewed.

“I was assured that it won’t be a blocker, that they really understood what has happened in Ireland, they can see it’s been a national effort, they’re fully aware of the results,” he said.

“Their view to us was we’ll work with you, we’ll be pragmatic but we need a plan for the habitats, but they said ‘no, this won’t be a blocker’.

“I’m actually optimistic because I think any other result... we really have been led up the garden path as farmers,” Murphy said.

’All the dairy balls have aligned’

It has been one of the best years for milk price, Murphy said.

“All of the dairy balls have aligned this year. We’ve strong cattle prices, strong calf prices, we have brilliant production, up 10-12%, and prices are really good. I see prices staying solid. We’ve been saying in Tirlán that 48 to 50c/l range all year, we’re still saying that 48 to 50c/l range, we’re 49c/l and we don’t see it dropping much below 48c/l if it hits there.

“Usually when milk prices rise, as they have this year, across Europe you see a huge surge in milk. That’s not happening this year, so I’ll be optimistic and be brave and go early into next year with milk price in a pretty solid, good position and that’s fantastic,” he said.