Northern Ireland Milk Price Tracker

The Agrarian

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northern Ireland
The % obviously varies from peak to trough supply, as the liquid demand/output is constant. But it's in the small minority, even though we do have the lion's share of the local liquid market. And liquid markets are stagnant at best. The majority of milk is processed, and that is where any potential for growth lies. Don't take my figure literally, because it's not meant to be exact, but we have a milk pricing schedule which is suited to about one fifth of our factory output. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Oh, and our own transport network, which we pay to haul our water. 🤦🏻‍♂️
 
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Whitewalker

Member
Dale farm won’t change anytime soon going by the question and answer session online . If I recall correctly nick said it would take 300000 extra cows to produce on a solids payment to match current setup . Which would have a massive environmental impact he said. If I remember right .

my question only got the first line read out and totally missed the point of the question, leaving me to realise as much as I like nick and Co they completely have their own agenda of what they need and twisting it to suit themselves, but sure it’s never been any different!!
 

Whitewalker

Member
Speaking of environmental impacts. All the milk/skim we draw to dunman has a highly polluting biproduct, carries a handling risk, and requires hefty treatment before it can be safely discharged into the adjoining burn.
Roll through the session in your spare time and correct me I may be wrong
 

The Agrarian

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northern Ireland
Ok. Short on spare time at the moment. Environmental impact of haulage is huge? Especially double handling and double haulage of skim.

Lazy will be along soon to say that his smaller cows have lower energy maintenance requirements than Holsteins, consume less feed imported from america, and have less pollution output from their back end. 🤔

It's all in how you dress it up.
 

Whitewalker

Member
Ok. Short on spare time at the moment. Environmental impact of haulage is huge? Especially double handling and double haulage of skim.

Lazy will be along soon to say that his smaller cows have lower energy maintenance requirements than Holsteins, consume less feed imported from america, and have less pollution output from their back end. 🤔

It's all in how you dress it up.
Totally agree. I’m in the solids camp but how you interpret everything
 
Methane appears to be one of the easier ones to solve.
a large scale trial of an additive that claims reduce methane production by 60% is beginning this autumn in the Uk I believe.
Then we have the NZ work on seaweed that shows a reduction of 90% though appears to be prohibitively expensive. Though would create a lot of jobs to grow and harvest the stuff.
But referencing hoLsteins there’s a lot that can be done around feeding and breeding to produce the same amount of solids from less litres. There’s no need to change the breed but still improve efficiency and environmental impact. It’s just your processors aren’t telling farmers it's what the market and consumers want . Even though it is patently obvious. It is incredibly scary your CEOs are saying this. It would give me no confidence that they have any clue about market reality’s. The industries slow take up of red tractor would have been limiting market participation. Surely you want your companies to lead not follow. I’ll shut up now and go back to praying for rain. ☹️
 

Happyheifer

New Member
Dale farm won’t change anytime soon going by the question and answer session online . If I recall correctly nick said it would take 300000 extra cows to produce on a solids payment to match current setup . Which would have a massive environmental impact he said. If I remember right .

my question only got the first line read out and totally missed the point of the question, leaving me to realise as much as I like nick and Co they completely have their own agenda of what they need and twisting it to suit themselves, but sure it’s never been any different!!

What was your question @Whitewalker? I don't supply DF so didn't hear the Q&A but am interested in what part they dodged
 

Whitewalker

Member
With milk prices running at levels similar to 25 years ago, how are farmers supposed to sustainably produce milk without degrading our soils ,our animals and our families? Our pricing structure is based on litres and not solids leading to a greater emphasis on volume and cow numbers with excessive strain put on natural resources and animals . Inflation has eaten any milk price surplus and as technology drives the progression of the industry to cope with the greater number of animals and yields it is the service providers that continue to coin at the expense of the producer and the resources. While this continues to be the case, how do you plan to replace suppliers in the future? Yes there have been new entrants and support measures but with the cost of investment and the commitment of debt to start I find it hard to understand how this is viable in the future?

How is it sustainable with a price similar to 25 years ago?
To which was replied, I hear this question a lot. Yields have increased and farms are more efficient and herds have increased. It’s a very tough industry and we need to stay ahead of the curve :ie expansion and cutting costs .
 
With milk prices running at levels similar to 25 years ago, how are farmers supposed to sustainably produce milk without degrading our soils ,our animals and our families? Our pricing structure is based on litres and not solids leading to a greater emphasis on volume and cow numbers with excessive strain put on natural resources and animals . Inflation has eaten any milk price surplus and as technology drives the progression of the industry to cope with the greater number of animals and yields it is the service providers that continue to coin at the expense of the producer and the resources. While this continues to be the case, how do you plan to replace suppliers in the future? Yes there have been new entrants and support measures but with the cost of investment and the commitment of debt to start I find it hard to understand how this is viable in the future?

How is it sustainable with a price similar to 25 years ago?
To which was replied, I hear this question a lot. Yields have increased and farms are more efficient and herds have increased. It’s a very tough industry and we need to stay ahead of the curve :ie expansion and cutting costs .
I was mad at that answer too. I think they need to be stronger sellers and set the price they need to allow suppliers a decent price instead of bending over and taking whatever. As long as df make healthy profits they all get their bonuses we can go and hoke as far as I can see.
 
With milk prices running at levels similar to 25 years ago, how are farmers supposed to sustainably produce milk without degrading our soils ,our animals and our families? Our pricing structure is based on litres and not solids leading to a greater emphasis on volume and cow numbers with excessive strain put on natural resources and animals . Inflation has eaten any milk price surplus and as technology drives the progression of the industry to cope with the greater number of animals and yields it is the service providers that continue to coin at the expense of the producer and the resources. While this continues to be the case, how do you plan to replace suppliers in the future? Yes there have been new entrants and support measures but with the cost of investment and the commitment of debt to start I find it hard to understand how this is viable in the future?

How is it sustainable with a price similar to 25 years ago?
To which was replied, I hear this question a lot. Yields have increased and farms are more efficient and herds have increased. It’s a very tough industry and we need to stay ahead of the curve :ie expansion and cutting costs .
Great question which unfortunately got a politicians answer. If its any consolation, putting the full version up here will allow others to view things in that light and maybe the discussion on here will bring the issue back into the limelight, especially considering the people who keep an eye on this thread.
 

Whitewalker

Member
Great question which unfortunately got a politicians answer. If its any consolation, putting the full version up here will allow others to view things in that light and maybe the discussion on here will bring the issue back into the limelight, especially considering the people who keep an eye on this thread.
I was at a meeting one time as they were investing in major equipment and was David Dobbin I think pointed out , investing in the coop was like us farmers changing our mf35 for a new modern tractor, it be more efficient and comfortable and improve the business, one farmer pointed out he was expected to invest with a milk price similar to 30 years ago. It fell on deaf ears . I have since never attended meetings as my family are worth more of my time .
 
With milk prices running at levels similar to 25 years ago, how are farmers supposed to sustainably produce milk without degrading our soils ,our animals and our families? Our pricing structure is based on litres and not solids leading to a greater emphasis on volume and cow numbers with excessive strain put on natural resources and animals . Inflation has eaten any milk price surplus and as technology drives the progression of the industry to cope with the greater number of animals and yields it is the service providers that continue to coin at the expense of the producer and the resources. While this continues to be the case, how do you plan to replace suppliers in the future? Yes there have been new entrants and support measures but with the cost of investment and the commitment of debt to start I find it hard to understand how this is viable in the future?

How is it sustainable with a price similar to 25 years ago?
To which was replied, I hear this question a lot. Yields have increased and farms are more efficient and herds have increased. It’s a very tough industry and we need to stay ahead of the curve :ie expansion and cutting costs .
Very good
We're debating over payment structure on volume vs solids for points of pennies when it actually 10p a litre we need milk to rise
 
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daveydiesel1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co antrim
Very good
We're debating over payment structure on volume vs solids for points of pennies when it actually 10p a litre we need milk to rise
But theyl never giv us what we want. Its just gonna average cost plus a living. Sure if we were gettin 40p litre we would stil only be gettin a living only wed have the pleasure of owning all new kit 🤔
 

Whitewalker

Member
Very good
We're debating over payment structure on volume vs solids for points of pennies when it actually 10p
a litre we need milk to rise



But theyl never giv us what we want. Its just gonna average cost plus a living. Sure if we were gettin 40p litre we would stil only be gettin a living only wed have the pleasure of owning all new kit 🤔

We all have our own ideas , choices and circumstances but what systems have we built round a cow to put milk in a tank .

what have we changed to get a cow to produce 7000 8000 10000 litres instead of 6000 ? What pressure do we put on her now , mastitis etc .

look at the machinery to handle the feeding and slurry and silage. Larger milking parlours. Farmers aren’t wrong in doing this but they are responding to ways to survive a bloody poor return because prices haven’t risen and need to stay ahead of the curve . (Nick and co ) problem being everyone builds their own profit into the cost of these items before the farmer gets it .

what cost is this to the farm family??
mentally or emotionally physically or financially??

it’s the big picture on the cost of a litre of milk.
 

thunderballs

Member
Location
NI
815kgs in 2 Irish 8x4x4 winter barley straw bales. Getting smaller every year.
 

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SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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