UFU wants views on dairy contracts

The UFU wants to hear the views of dairy farmers on the possible introduction of mandatory milk contracts.

A government consultation on the issue is open to 15 September 2020, and to better inform the UFU response, it has created a questionnaire for farmers on the UFU website.

The questionnaire poses 12 relevant questions covering issues such as whether farmers should know their monthly milk price in advance, and the maximum notice period a producer should give before terminating a contract.

“We encourage everyone in the dairy sector to get involved in this consultation. This opportunity will not come around again for a very lengthy period, so it is vital that we avail of it,” said UFU dairy chairman Mervyn Gordon.

Abbey Farm to host virtual tour

Farmers can tune in to a virtual tour of Greenmount’s Abbey Farm on Thursday 13 August, starting at 8pm.

The suckler and beef finishing unit at the Abbey participates in the BETTER Farm Beef Challenge NI programme. Leading the discussion will be programme adviser Darryl Boyd, along with CAFRE assistant farm manager Lindsay Mawhinney. The event will cover breeding performance, finishing data, grassland management and silage production in 2020.

The farm carries 90 spring-calving Stabiliser cows, run alongside a beef finishing enterprise.

The event will be streamed online using Webex, and is open to all farmers.

Register at www.ifj.ie/beefevent by 5pm on Wednesday 12 August.

Online Dairylink visit next week

Dairylink Ireland programme farmer John Oliver will host an online farm walk next week.

The webinar will be focused on his animal health plan and will involve a discussion with his vet Keith Laughlin and Dairylink adviser Aidan Cushnahan.

The recording from his farm in Limavady can be watched from 8pm on Monday 10 August at www.ifj.ie/dairylink.

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