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Milk processors in Northern Ireland have decided to leave base prices unchanged for June. \ CJ Nash
All milk processors in NI with the exception of Aurivo, have declared their hand for June, and left base prices unchanged from the previous month.
It the first time this year that no processor has applied any form of monthly price increase.
Dale Farm remains out in front on a base of 29.8p/l which includes the 0.3p/l loyalty bonus. Lakeland Diaries set the trend on Friday of last week by holding on 29.2p/l.
Glanbia Milk/Fivemiletown are also holding with a price of 29.5p/l, while Glanbia Cheese stays on a base of 28.75p/l. That leaves Omagh based Strathroy Dairy on a base of 29p/l.
More space for EFS higher participants
More applicants will be allowed on to the latest tranche of the Environmental Farming Scheme higher level, DAERA has confirmed.
Last year, less than a quarter of the 966 applicants in the fourth tranche of the scheme received agreement offers.
“Due to the demand in previous years, DAERA intends to increase the number of agreements it issues this year. For those farmers who were unsuccessful with previous applications, it may be worth trying again this year,” states new guidance from DAERA.
EFS higher level is for land in environmentally designated areas and applications for the fifth tranche of the scheme close on 21 May.
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Milk processors in Northern Ireland have increased base prices for January with Dale Farm and Glanbia Cheese adding 1p/l.
A number of milk processors in NI have responded to pressure from suppliers for farmgate prices to reflect strengthening global commodity markets.
Both Dale Farm and Glanbia Cheese have added 1p/l to base prices for milk supplied in January.
This brings Dale Farm to a new base of 27.55p/l, inclusive of the co-op’s 0.3p/l loyalty bonus. In the case of Glanbia Cheese, its base rises to 27p/l before premiums on milk quality are applied.
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The number of cattle herds in Northern Ireland that retain BVD positive cattle has fallen below 100 for the first time since mandatory teting was introduce in March 2016.
Under 100 herds with PI cattle for first time
For the first time since the introduction of mandatory BVD testing on 1 March 2016, the number of NI herds retaining PI cattle has fallen below 100.
According to data published by Animal Health and Welfare NI (AHWNI), the body tasked with overseeing the eradication programme, just 83 herds held 118 persistently infected (PI) cattle on farm as of 1 December.
The latest figures are a marked decrease on those from January 2020, when 264 herds retained 381 PI animals on NI farms.