Chairman of Limerick and Clare Milk Producers shoots from the hip in virtual speech

ANOTHER January has passed without the traditional Limerick and Clare Milk Producers dinner dance in the Dunraven Arms Hotel.

However, thankfully it looks like it will be the last as Covid in its current guise appears to be in the rearview tractor mirror.

Every year, Michael O’Connor, chairman, gives an enlightening speech. The Croagh man reflects on the year gone by and looks to the future. He kindly gave Farm Leader what would have been his speech.

Mr O’Connor said 2021 finished on a high with exceptional grass growth, reasonable milk price, beef prices above cost of production and all looks rosy.

“But as any farmer knows, good times are scarce. No sooner are we getting a reasonable price, when around the corner are severe headwinds - namely the price of feed, fuel, ESB etc.

“One of the most prohibitive costs is the price of fertiliser. When you hear prices quoted of €900 plus per tonne for urea, the challenge will be to grow enough good quality grass in 2022 to feed cows,” said Mr O’Connor.

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If prices stay where they are, the cost of producing a litre of milk is going to put a serious dent in profitability, he says.

“But we have been in similar situations before and we have survived. Another issue out there is labour shortage. With the economy opening up there seems to be more jobs than job seekers out there. Some farmers are finding it very hard to get someone to do a lot of daily chores,” said Mr O’Connor.

Climate change was the next topic in his speech.

“As usual there are all these so-called experts saying what has to be done but if you listen carefully it’s always what everyone else has to do. Yet, these so-called experts never have to make any changes to their pampered lifestyles. They fly half ways around the world probably on magic carpets,” said Mr O’Connor. This surely would have been greeted with laughs in the Dunraven Arms.

“They tell the rest of us what we should be doing. Maybe they should practice what they preach,” he said.

Mr O’Connor finished by raising what will happen between Kerry Co-op and Kerry PLC.

“Will there be a joint venture or not? All I can say is there is a new chairman at the help of the co-op and we will just have to wait and see if things progress or not. To end here’s hoping milk prices will stay positive and costs don’t get out of hand,” concluded Mr O’Connor.

And that he is giving his speech in person in Adare next January.