Export refunds reintroduced after dairy industry lobbying

Dairy UK today welcomed the European Commission’s decision to reopen support measures for the EU dairy sector.

Export refunds have been the objective of intense and protracted lobbying by Dairy UK, with key support from Northern Ireland’s political establishment.

It is now vital that the Commission delivers on this promise of help for the EU’s dairy market, by setting realistic levels of support next week. This alone will determine the impact of the measures announced today.

For further information please contact Sam Fortescue, Communications Director at Dairy UK on: 020 7467 2630 / 07918 942999 or email sfortescue@dairyUK.org

-ENDS-

Notes for Editors

Butter, cheese and milk powders will all be eligible for export refunds from next week, under the arrangements outlined yesterday in Berlin by Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boel. Intervention buying of butter and skimmed milk powder will also be kept open longer than usual to absorb more product.

Export refunds for dairy products were discontinued by the European Commission in June 2007 when dairy commodity prices soared. They are being reintroduced not only for butter and skimmed milk powder but also for all other dairy products which were eligible in the past, mainly whole milk powder and cheese. Refunds for butter and skimmed milk powder are fixed by tender with the next round of bids to be decided on next week. The frequency of the tenders will be increased from once to twice a month in order to improve the efficiency of the system.

Intervention for butter and skimmed milk opens on 1 March and will remain open until August. Product from February onwards is eligible, but intervention will switch to a tendering basis once the initial 30,000 tonnes of butter and 109,000 tonnes of skimmed milk powder has been filled.

About Dairy UK:

Dairy UK is a trade association that represents the interests of dairy farmers, producer co-ops, milk processors and doorstep deliverymen. For more information visit www.dairyUK.org.

Proud of Dairy is a Dairy UK campaign to raise the profile of the dairy industry. Are you Proud of Dairy too? If so, why not support the campaign by clicking onto www.proudofdairy.com where you can find more details.