Lakeland Dairies ratified its new board which will take control of the co-op’s governance from 1 November 2021, following the completion of eight regional elections.

Consisting of 13 members, it is a significant reduction from the current board 22 members, a legacy of Lakeland’s merger with LacPatrick in spring 2019.

There are five members on the new board representing the farming interests of suppliers based in NI.

They include the co-op’s vice-chair Alan McCay from Co Tyrone, Keith Agnew, Co Armagh, Sean Connolly, Co Antrim, Alan Thompson, Co Down and Alex Walker, Co Antrim.

Milk payments

It is understood that one of the last actions of the existing Lakeland board has been a review of how milk is priced in NI.

While Lakeland will not be introducing an A+B-C payment system as exists in the South, it is likely that there will be new incentives in place to encourage NI farmers to produce more fat and protein.