Lakeland Dairies has not committed to providing funding for the new agri-sector advocacy body Our Food Connects – which was formerly known as Project Connect.

“We continue to engage with the Project Connect team, both directly and through relevant industry forums. At this time, no commitment has been made regarding our involvement going forward,” a spokesperson for Lakeland Dairies told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The move by Lakeland Dairies is threatening to delay the announcement of a management team for the new advocacy group.

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The positions of chief executive and technical officer with Our Food Connects have been offered to two candidates who accepted, but the announcement of the appointments has been delayed by the funding issues.

Funding for Our Food Connects will total around €4.1m, the Irish Farmers Journal has learned.

Close to €1.4m of this total will come from the meat processors, with around €1.5m being provided by the dairy sector.

The remaining €1.2m will be contributed by the farm organisations, the drinks industry, the horticulture sector and pig processors.

National Dairy Council

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the vast majority of the dairy sector contribution to Our Food Connects will involve a tie-up between the National Dairy Council (NDC) and the new entity in terms of advocacy.

The NDC has an existing advocacy role for the dairy sector and is funded by way of a voluntary levy of 0.07c/l on milk supplies. The total value of this levy for NDC was €4.5m in 2023.

A memorandum of understanding between the NDC and Our Food Connects dealing with issues such as advocacy roles and fundings is to be finalised in the coming weeks.

Dairy processors that are not aligned to the NDC and do not collect its levy – such as Lakeland Dairies – will be required to make an independent contribution to Our Food Connects.