New president for EMB
Schöpges, a 53-year-old dairy farmer from Belgium, has actively championed a fair milk policy ever since the EMB was founded.
The outgoing president, Romuald Schaber, is retiring after 12 years with the EMB to devote more time to his work as a dairy farmer. John Comer from Ireland also left the Board after six years of office.
The EMB executive committee has also added two new members: Johannes Pfaller, from the German milk producer organisation BDM, and Pat McCormack, from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA).
"Solidarity, cooperation and fairness are the core principles of the European dairy farmers’ work," Schöpges said at the meeting of 20 member organizations from across Europe.
“We will continue to be highly motivated in working for cost-covering milk production, including fair pay. A production that is sustainable for consumers, for the EU producers, and also for the producers in developing countries.”
Commitment to sustainable agriculture
At the general assembly, milk producers stressed they would continue to engage in the political debate to achieve a stable milk market through powerful campaigns of action.
The EMB said it takes a very critical view of what it called a paradox in the trading sector: on the one hand there is a legitimate societal need for fair conditions in production and trade for humans, animals and the environment; on the other hand, it said, current trade policy is working against those conditions.
