Press Release: Dairy market: Commission proposes additional measures to help dairy sector

Following the recent slump in prices for milk and dairy products, Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel pledged to introduce new measures to support the market. The Commission will next week reintroduce export refunds for butter, cheese and whole and skimmed milk powder. When intervention buying for butter and SMP begins in March, the Commission undertakes to, if necessary, buy more than the pre-determined quantities through regular tenders. In November, the Commission reintroduced private storage for butter with effect from 1 January 2009 - including for butter produced in December. This represented an introduction of private storage earlier than is usually the case.