UK – Three dairy groups have called for the calculation of direct payments to dairy farmers to be calculated according to the individual producer’s quota holding.

The National Farmers Union (NFU), the Dairy Industry Association Limited (DIAL) and the Federation of Milk Groups (FMG) released a joint statement setting out their position on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) consultation on the implementation of CAP Reform.

They believe this calculation of payment would ensure that most producers received as much support as possible when restructuring their businesses in order to respond to the reductions in support prices required by CAP Reform.

The organisations also expressed their opposition to the regional averaging of dairy payments, as it would reduce the total amount of support available and put certain types of producers at a competitive disadvantage.