\ Philip Doyle Since Kerry Co-op formally submitted a €480m bid for 60% of Kerry Group’s dairy business in January, one point that has been repeatedly raised by some Kerry milk suppliers is why there is any need for this joint venture to go ahead when farmers have a milk supply contract that states they are entitled to the ‘leading milk price’. They argue that Kerry milk suppliers would be better off staying out of any joint venture as they have a legally binding contract in their hands. Instead, they would prefer to see Kerry Co-op continue to disperse the dividends it receives from Kerry Group to shareholders and hold Kerry Group to its commitments in the milk supply contract.