“The French have introduced a new scheme under the CAP where they will pay farmers to graze their cows,” Stephen Arthur says.

“The reason they are doing it is that they have discovered that they are getting better milk, a lot better, than from cows that are fed meal indoors. We have perfected that here in Ireland, and everyone else wants to mimic it.”

Stephen Arthur is a passionate advocate for dairy farmers. In April, he was unexpectedly thrust into the chair of the IFA’s dairy committee when Tom Phelan stepped down, but has relished the challenge.

He was well prepared, as has previously chaired the Fresh Milk Suppliers and was also national chair of Macra. He believes that dairy farmers can produce both milk from grass and environmental goods.

“The ASSAP (Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme) needs to be expanded, it’s delivering well. The PIP maps (Pollution Impact Potential) from the EPA are a great source of information for farmers, but we need more information, we need more education.

I think it’s very unfair for the EPA to report our water is bad without telling the real story

“The ASSAP is working because advisers are working in conjunction with farmers on-farm, as opposed to dictating to farmers from an office.

“I think it’s very unfair for the EPA to report our water is bad without telling the real story. The volume of pollution from wastewater systems, whether it’s for a town or a single house in the country, seems to be completely underestimated.

“It leads to lazy headlines that give a misinterpretation of dairy farming.”

The next generation

Arthur wants to see a constant infusion of youth to dairy farming.

“I think the next generation of farmers coming up are going to be the best-educated, and the most committed to delivering on climate change and biodiversity.

“They have to be best invested-in farmers. We need to get access to getting them onto farms.

The relentless physical toll from milking and managing a herd of cows means that a lot of dairy farmers will not be able to continue in charge past a certain point

“To get people onto farms we need to get people off farms, and the Government need to look at this as a matter of urgency. The age profile of farmers in general is seen to be an issue, but the age profile of dairy farmers is a hidden time bomb.

“The relentless physical toll from milking and managing a herd of cows means that a lot of dairy farmers will not be able to continue in charge past a certain point.”

The environment

Arthur also shared his views on the national herd regarding the environment.

“If we took every cow in this country out, we would do more damage than good to the global environment. Global production wouldn’t drop, the milk would just be produced in Brazil, India, or the US at a much higher cost to the environment. That’s just a fact, but it doesn’t seem to influence policy makers and I can’t understand why.”

Arthur also said that the Irish dairy industry should be a great source of pride for the country.

“The cheapest place to buy Kerrygold butter is in Ireland. It’s a premium product at a premium price all over the world, but is still the top-selling butter in Germany, and is second top-seller in the US,” Arthur concludes.

“We should be so proud of our dairy industry, and we should be confident for the future.”