The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) today (Friday, April, 11) publishes its milk price report for 2024 which gives farmers and co-operatives an understanding of milk prices received, how they compare and what bonuses farmers are potentially missing out on.

Commenting on the ICMSA-Agriland Milk Price Report and ‘League Table’ for 2024, Dairy Committee chair, Noel Murphy, said that the table has been compiled to enable farmers to understand the prices they received directly from their processors and co-ops."

Murphy said that the table showed, perfectly, the complexity of milk payments and the various bonuses available to farmers across the country.

He also highlighted that the ICMSA is committed to making the process of milk price payments as transparent as possible. 

Murphy said that the detail of the report "speaks for itself as to where milk processors stand in the rankings".

He added that farmers can analyse the table and determine what payments they are getting compared to their counterparts, as well as identifying bonuses that they could be missing out on.

“The range from top to bottom has reduced from the 2023 report, which is encouraging.

The top maximum attainable price at base solids is up over 5c/L in the year which is disappointing given where dairy markets finished at the end of 2024”, Murphy said.  

Murphy said that the ICMSA ‘tracking’ and analysis of milk prices was constantly being refined and published with that object of providing as much transparency as the farmers-suppliers deserved.  

“There has to be as much understanding as possible of how the price is assembled and what it should be.

"The future of Irish dairy depends on our milk processors delivering sustainable prices to farmers and we make no apology and will spare no effort to ensuring they do just that," Murphy said.

The 2024 average base milk price, in alphabetical order is as follows:

The prices above are based on base solids of 3.3% protein and 3.6% butterfat and all bonus and penalty payments are based on manufacturing milk.

The prices and revenue are based on a 500,000L supplier following the weighted percentage of milk supplied to co-ops in 2024.

Somatic cell count (SCC) was assumed at 150,000 cells/ml, total bacteria count (TBC) at 10,000 CFU/ml, lactose at 4.6% and thermoduric at 100 CFU/ml.

The monthly supply profile based on a supplier producing 500,000L per annum and based on the Central Statistics Office (CSO) profile of milk supplied in 2024, is as follows:

The base price ranked on a c/L base price including value added tax (VAT), with no bonuses included is as follows:

The co-ops were also ranked based on the maximum attainable price, which includes attainable bonuses, in c/L including VAT and is as follows:

Arrabawn's price break down for 2024 was the following:

A winter bonus of 3.8c/L (excl. VAT) was paid in January;
A winter bonus of 2.86c/L (excl. VAT) was paid in February;
2.86c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment from March to April;
0.48c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment for May;
0.24c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment for June;
0.72c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment for July and August;
1.19c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment for September, October, November and
December;
0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC less than 200,000.

Aurivo's price break down for 2024 was the following:

0.21c/L (excl. VAT) protein bonus available for every 0.05% protein achieved, above
the co-op average protein %, in an individual month. This was not part of the
calculation as protein is 3.3%.
4c/L (excl. VAT) early calving bonus on all January milk;
3c/L (excl. VAT) early calving bonus on all February milk;
2c/L (excl. VAT) weather payment on all March and April milk;
1c/L (excl. VAT) weather payment on all May milk;
Aurivo pay a 0.5c/L Future Milk Sustainability bonus from March 2024;
Aurivo paid a 0.45c/L (incl. VAT) top on all milk in 2024.

Carbery Group's price break down for 2024 was the following:

0.5c/L (excl. VAT) from March to October and a 0.88c/L (excl. VAT) bonus from
November to February to suppliers who achieve a SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
1c/L sustainability bonus to farmers who have committed to Carbery’s FutureProof programme;
Carbery paid a 4.75c/L (excl. VAT) weather support payment in March;
Lisavaird changed their “c” in July to 3.54.

Centenery's price break down for 2024 was the following:

Centenary do not pay on a traditional A + B - C. Instead, there is a base flat rate with a top up based on butterfat and protein differential;
0.48c/L (excl. VAT) sustainability bonus;
0.1c/L (excl. VAT) SCC bonus for under 200,000cells/ml;
3.82c/L (excl. VAT) Early calving Bonus for January;
2.86c/L (excl. VAT) Early calving Bonus for February;
4.75c/L (excl. VAT) Seasonality Bonus that is paid on milk supplied in December.

Dairygold's price break down for 2024 was the following:

0.1c/L for the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS), 0.1c/L for sign up to milk recording (four per year) and 0.05c/L for sign up to milk recording and a Munster Bovine herd health scheme, 0.2c/L Water quality farm visit, 0.1c/L for using protected urea, 0.1c/L for soil health and 0.1c/L for an education and farm sustainability plan;
Dairygold also have a 0.4c/L maximum bonus attainable by farmers who achieve the minimum requirements for six criteria (TBC, thermoduric, sediment, SCC, lactose and inhibitors); This cumulatively amounts to 1.15c/L (excl. VAT);
3c/L (excl. VAT) early calving bonus to all members that meet the quality criteria in January;
2c/L (excl. VAT) early calving bonus to all members that meet the quality criteria in February;
1c/L (excl. VAT) early calving bonus to all members that meet the quality criteria March;
2c/L (excl. VAT) weather support payment in March;
1c/L (excl. VAT) weather support payment for April;
0.5c/L (incl. VAT) all milk supplied in 2024.

Kerry's price break down for 2024 was the following:

0.4c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC less than 200,000 cells/ml;
0.1c/L (excl. VAT) for SDAS;
Kerry milk contract payments on top of base are included in the A + B for that
month.

Lakeland Dairies' break down for 2024 was the following:

4.73c/L (excl. VAT) bonus if more than 45% of May milk production was supplied in January, February, and December. This did not qualify in this scenario due to the volumes supplied;
2.84c/L (excl. VAT) bonus if more than 50% of May milk production was supplied in
November. This did not qualify in this scenario due to the volumes supplied;
0.47c/L (excl. VAT) Sustainability bonus, this is based on constituents;
0.95c/L (excl. VAT) Early Calving Bonus in January;
1.91c/L (excl. VAT) Early Calving Bonus in February;
0.95c/L (excl. VAT) Input Support Payment in January;
0.95c/L (excl. VAT) Input Support Payment in March;
0.95c/L (excl. VAT) Input Support Payment in April;
0.95c/L (excl. VAT) Input Support Payment in May;
0.8c/L (incl. VAT) paid on all milk supplied in 2024.

North Cork Creameries' break down for 2024 was the following:

0.35c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
0.14c/L (excl. VAT) if four milk recordings carried out in the year;
0.25c/L (excl. VAT) top up on January , February, March and May;
2c/L (excl. VAT) top up on all milk for April, June, July, August, September, October,
November and December.

Strathroy Dairies' break down for 2024 was the following:

0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an SCC of less than 200,000 cells/ml;
0.25c/L (excl. VAT) bonus on all milk with an TBC of less than 10,000 CFU/ml;
0.48c/L (excl. VAT) Sustainability bonus.

Tipperary cooperative's milk price break down for 2024 was the following:

0.25c/L (excl. VAT) on all milk with an SCC less than 250,000 cells/ml;
3c/L (excl. VAT) seasonality bonus in January;
3c/L (excl. VAT) seasonality bonus in February;
2c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment in March;
1c/L (excl. VAT) input support payment in March;
3c/L (excl. VAT) seasonality bonus for November milk;
3c/L(excl. VAT) seasonality bonus for December milk.

Tirlán's milk price break down for 2024 was the following:

3.79c/L (excl. VAT) unconditional Seasonality Bonus that is paid on milk supplied in January;
2.84c/L (excl. VAT) unconditional Seasonality Bonus that is paid on milk supplied in
February;
2.86c/L (excl. VAT) Weather payment top up for March;
1.43c/L (excl. VAT) Weather payment top up for April;
4.75c/L (excl. VAT) Seasonality Bonus that is paid on milk supplied in December;
0.47 c/L (excl. VAT) Sustainability Action Payment paid monthly on all milk supplied in
2022;
All Tirlán's top-ups and bonuses are subject to constituent top ups.