Monaghan paid a 12-month rolling average price of 39.95c/l to top the November/December liquid milk league.

Centenary/Thurles is a close second, with a milk price of 39.94c/l, while Wexford comes in third at 38.17c/l to complete the first division.

Arrabawn and Aurivo paid 37.96c/l and 37.49c/l, respectively, to make up the second division.

Clona, Dairygold and Glanbia are in the third division, with 12-month average milk prices of between 36.78c/l and 36.59c/l.

  • The first column of the liquid milk league is based on the rolling average liquid milk price in cent/l paid by each co-op for the past 12 months.
  • The format takes into account the higher winter prices for shorter periods that some processors use, and vice versa.
  • Prices quoted are for milk supplied to fill liquid quota.
  • Transport charges have been deducted.
  • Prices are all vat exclusive.
  • Minimum hygiene requirements: 50,000 TBC and 400,000 SCC.
  • March and April prices are listed in the next two columns and their position for the combined two months is ranked.
  • The last column shows the annual payment made by each processor for the full year for an average farmer with a quota of 230,000 litres.
  • Prices for Glanbia and Dairygold are now quoted at the base manufacturing milk price at 3.3% protein and 3.6% fat, plus a 7.66c/l liquid milk premium. Farmers who supply milk above or below these constituents are paid accordingly.
  • Acid whey causes concern in US

    The success story of Chobani and other Greek yoghurt in the US, where sales of the product has risen from 1% of the yoghurt market in 2007 to over 30% today, has created a challenge to find a way of utilising the by-product – acid whey.

    In 2012, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service partnered with food industry innovation company Jones Laffin to patent an effective system for the economical processing of acid whey.

    The new process is an all-natural method of separating the component ingredients of raw acid whey, water, lactose and protein and turning them into valuable commodities, which can be sold as ingredients for the food industry.

    The disposal of acid whey has threatened further growth in the Greek yoghurt industry but the company is confident that this technology will benefit all Greek yoghurt manufacturers.

    The company plans to roll out a product, which will be suitable for widespread commercial use in the second quarter of 2014.

    Through its partnership with USDA’s ARS, Jones Laffin has also a licence within the US and in several EU countries to develop texturised whey protein, which is the product of a process that converts whey protein into a more functional ingredient.

    Valio production improves by 10%

    Valio has introduced new technology in its whey powder plant that increases production by more than 10% with no change in energy consumption.

    Whey is a by-product of cheese production. It has a high nutritional value and the use of whey powder as a nutritional supplement or as an ingredient in foodstuffs is growing worldwide.

    The production of whey powder is a complex and energy-intensive process. It is particularly important to control the moisture content precisely.

    The production plant was able to do this by implementing Neste Jacob’s Napcon technology for advanced automatic process control to optimise the critical and energy-intensive final stage of production.

    Eating yoghurt reduces diabetes

    A study conducted by scientists from the University of Cambridge’s Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit found that consuming an average of 4.5 standard pots of yoghurt per week reduced the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 28% when compared with non-consumers.

    This research has featured in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the study of diabetes.

    Higher consumption of low fat, fermented dairy products, such as yoghurt, Fromage frais and low fat cottage cheese was found to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 24%. Replacing crisps with yoghurt in the diet was associated with a 47% decline in the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

    The research included over 25,000 men and women, living in Norfolk, England. The study compared a comprehensive daily record of food and drink consumed over a week at the time of the study. Among the group were 753 people who had developed the onset of Type 2 diabetes over 11 years, with 3,502 randomly selected.

    When inspected discretely from the other low fat, fermented dairy products, yoghurt, which accounts for over 85% of these products, was associated with a 28% reduced risk of developing diabetes.

    US milk prices reach record high levels

    Milk prices paid to US dairy farmers were at a near record high in January and are expected to increase further in February.

    The average payout to farmers in the US for January milk was $23.12/100lb (37.20c/l).

    These milk prices are driven by powder exports. In 2013, the US exported 58% of all NFDM (non-fat dry milk) and SMP (skim milk powder) produced there. Dairy farmers in the US are benefiting all the more from these high milk prices as feed prices are significantly lower this year.

    US dairy exports reached a 19% share of the global dairy export market in 2013, according to the US Dairy Export Council.

    Record levels of cheese, milk powder, and whey powder products, with a value of $6.7bn, were exported to Mexico, South East Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and China.

    Over the last 10 years, US dairy exports have grown at an average annual rate of 21% in value and 13% in volume terms.

    US exporters call on Russia to end ban

    The US Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation have asked Russian officials to end the country’s three-year embargo of US dairy products.

    The most recent call stems from Russia’s refusal to allow the import of Chobani Greek yoghurt for consumption by US Olympic athletes at this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi. Russia closed its market to US dairy products in 2010 as a result of changes in health requirements, which are required for dairy imports into the country.

    Chobani has announced that this yoghurt will now be donated to food banks in New York and New Jersey.

    China calls for boost to milk intake

    China State Council’s latest Food and Nutritional Development Plan for 2014-2020 has projected a substantial boost in Chinese dairy consumption.

    The plan calls for a significant increase in the average per-capita milk intake from 0.5oz to 3.4oz per day.

    The announcement comes at a time of reduced milk production in China, with domestic output falling by 5.7% from 37.37 million tonnes to 35.36 million tonnes in 2013.

    A number of factors have led to this decline, including poor weather, a lack of quality feed, animal health issues and inefficient farm economics.

    Coveney welcomes quota position

    Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney welcomed the slightly improved milk quota position on 31 January. Ireland was 1.52% over quota, down from 1.63% on 31 December. He reminded farmers that they have to manage their milk supply for the remaining 14 months of the quota system.The Minister also reminded farmers that they should only sell milk through their usual purchaser in compliance with the milk quota regulations and that to sell milk through any other channel is an offence.