April 7th, 2009

ICMSA describe Fischer Boel's comments as "unbelievably arrogant and out-of-touch

The Deputy President of ICMSA has described as “unbelievably smug and out-of touch” comments made by EU Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel on the subject of the EU’s dairy policy and the collapse in milk prices that now has Irish dairy farmers supplying milk at below the cost of production.

“Irish dairy farmers will read with disbelief the statement attributed to Commissioner Fischer Boel where she stresses that her colleagues will not overreact or under-react to the circumstances in which the EU’s dairy markets find themselves. On behalf of those Irish farmers who are currently losing money every single day through supplying milk at below the costs incurred producing it, I would just point out that it’s very easy not to overreact or under-react to a disaster if it has no impact whatsoever on your own pocket – as is the case with Commissioner Fischer Boel. It’s a different affair for the person milking the cows who is now left in a situation where, for instance, a 250,000 litre supplier into Kerry, is now losing €40,000 on a full year’s production. It’s very easy to be calm when your very, very generous Commission salary cheque remains unchanged despite your manifest incompetence and record of gross mismanagement”, stated the ICMSA Deputy President and Chairman of the Dairy Committee.

“The Commissioner’s comments signalling the continued expansion of quotas on the ground that ‘good policy is clear policy’ summarise everything that is wrong with EU dairy policy. Even in the face of its obvious failure we see an inability or unwillingness to admit that the Commission got it wrong and we have now ended up with a situation that has the EU increasing supply of milk into a market that has fallen drastically. Is there anyone left in Europe – with the curious exception of the Farm Commissioner herself – who thinks that expanding quota and increasing the supply of milk will help rally prices? This policy is as wrong as it’s arrogant”, continued Mr O’Leary.

“ICMSA will continue its fight to convince the stake-holders that the only sensible way to stabilise milk price and end what will undoubtedly be a crazy, see-saw volatility on a yearly basis is to make a concerted effort to match supply to demand. That, in turn, must mean that Commissioner Fischer Boel turning her attention to the EU’s structural surplus of 7 -8 % and suggesting ways on absorbing that other than the present policy which seems to revolve around collapsing the market to an extent that has the milk supplier getting paid less then it costs to produce the milk in the first place. We are growing might tired of a policy being trotted out by Commissioner Fischer Boel and her colleagues, that reflects nothing so much as their unbelievably smug and out-of-touch attitude and which has pushed European milk prices off a cliff. Someone- and hopefully one day it could be our own Minister – should tell Commissioner Fischer Boel that this is not an academic exercise or theoretical conundrum for us farmers; we are losing real money from real business and hurting real families. And we demand that she end betting our futures against a discredited and clapped-out policy”, concluded Mr O’Leary.

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