‘Dairy farmers are eroding their profits for the pleasure of producing extra milk’

Speaking at the Irish Grassland Association’s (IGA) Dairy Conference on January 9 in Co. Cork, John Roche from Down to Earth Advice presented on the topic of producing marginal milk to the large crowd in attendance on the day. “In the Irish system of milk production, base milk is cheap and marginal milk is very expensive to produce. Many dairy farmers are eroding their profits for the pleasure of producing extra milk; ego farming is what I like to call it,” the Kerry man explained.Touching on what marginal milk is, John said: “Marginal milk is the addition or reduction in milk production when you make a change to a farming system according to the reports published in agriland.ie.