Leading members of the ICMSA met with Irish MEPs in Brussels following last Monday's council of EU agriculture ministers meeting to discuss the outcome.

ICMSA remain firm in their belief that an intervention price rise to 28 c/litre is the only option that will give stability fast enough to stop the growing panic in the dairy sector.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, ICMSA vice president Pat McCormack said that the price rise was "critical".

"The volume and supply isn't correcting itself, and dairy farmers are still trying to run faster on the threadmill. An intervention price rise to 28 c/litre would give stability to the sector.

"Also, 3,500 dairy farmers are facing superlevy repayments. Extended flexibility in those repayments is needed to allow dairy farmers to get over the difficulties of 2016," he said.

Commissioner Hogan had a very robust exchange with the EU parliament that enough wasn't done

As a dairy farmer himself, McCormack said that after last week's council of EU agriculture ministers meeting, he won't be looking any further than his next cheque.

"In a few months time we will see the full pain of this crisis. It is critical to note that the MEPs and all involved want solidority across Europe," McCormack said. "Going forward, we have got a commitment that milk prices, supply and supports will be very much discussed at every farm meeting."

Irish MEPs

ICMSA representatives met with agriculture MEPs Mairead McGuinness, Luke Ming Flanagan, Matt Carthy, and also Sean Kelly, who sits on the industry, research and energy committee and the international trade committee.

Also on the agenda was the power of retailers, and getting a fair share in market prices for producers.

"Commissioner Hogan had a very robust exchange with the EU parliament that enough wasn't done," McCormack says he was told. "He has a hot seat for the next few months."

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