CAUTIOUS WELCOME FOR DAIRY SECTOR CRISIS MEASURES FROM ECR GROUP

Strasbourg, 17th September 2009 - Northern Ireland MEP Jim Nicholson, Agriculture Coordinator in the European Parliament for the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, gave a cautious welcome to a series of measures adopted by MEPs today to address the crisis in the dairy sector.

The Parliament backed proposals from the European Commission to extend the intervention periods for butter, milk and cheese.

MEPs also backed a resolution from the Agriculture committee which called for further short term market intervention and increased transparency in the supply chain to address concerns about the difference between the prices paid to farmers and those charged to consumers. It also included measures to help producers to market and add value to their products.

In a statement from Strasbourg Mr Nicholson said:

"The future of the dairy sector is not market management, nor is it quotas, export refunds or schemes designed to artificially keep production going.

"However, this package of measures will help the sector get through the crisis in the short term, but for it to truly prosper, we need to move away from micro-managing the market and truly move towards a market led industry in which innovation and marketing can prosper.

"While we cautiously support these short term measures, it is vitally important that the long term future of the industry is secured."

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