Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have raised the point on many occasions in the past months. I refer to the targets in Food Harvest 2020. Only for the quota there would have been an increase in milk production this year by 20% to 25% because of the volumes of milk produced. Farmers have made significant efforts since July to pull back on milk production.

There was some hope held out over the past months on the butterfat quota. What is the likelihood of further negotiations early in the new year with the Commissioner and the Ministers for Agriculture in other member states to discuss the front-loading of the butterfat adjustment? This would alleviate a very serious problem which will arise on 31 March 2012.

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