Farmer control crucial to success

DAIRY industry leaders in Ireland were told yesterday by a shareholders’ leader from New Zealand processing giant, Fonterra, that farmer control of their business is crucial.

Fonterra shareholders’ council chairman Blue Read, speaking at the annual conference of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) in Dublin, highlighted the importance of farmers belonging to a co-op that they own and control.

It provides confidence that the milk price is fair and also a sense of security in planning for the future, he said.