European Dairy Farmers’ Conference to Take Place in Ireland

Dairy farmers from all over Europe will travel to Cork next week for a major European conference. The European Dairy Farmers’ (EDF) Congress, which is jointly organised by Teagasc and the Irish EDF branch, will take place at the Silver Springs hotel, Cork from 24-26 June. EDF is a network of leading dairy farmers from all over Europe, including Ireland. The theme for the EDF Congress is ‘Grasping the Opportunity’, reflecting the prospect to grow the Irish Dairy industry.

Presentations at the Congress will outline new challenges for the Irish milk processing industry, marketing Irish dairy products, Ireland’s opportunity to expand in milk production, and how to grow the dairy business.

Announcing details of the event, John Maher of Teagasc said: “Our climate is very favourable for low cost grass-based milk production and Ireland has the potential to expand its production when the quota system is dismantled. Currently, we export about 80 per cent of its dairy products and we therefore have the capabilities to market additional milk production.”

At the Congress in Cork, farmers from all over Europe will examine Ireland’s potential, as well as the challenges to be overcome, for us to grasp the new opportunity in milk production. Over the three days, European dairy farmers attending the event will visit some of the top class dairy farms in County Cork, Teagasc, Moorepark Dairy Production Research Centre as well as Ireland’s main livestock marketing co-operative, Cork Marts.

The Congress is supported by Ecolab, Dairymaster Farming Systems and the Geno Group, the sponsors of the EDF Congress 2009.