Polish representative elected deputy chair of Copa-Cogeca dairy working group

Dorota Grabarczyk, from the Polish Federation of Cattle Breeders and Milk Producers, has been elected deputy chair of the Copa-Cogeca working group "Milk and Dairy Products". Copa-Cogeca is the umbrella body of European Union farmers' organisations and agricultural cooperatives. The vote took place at meetings held on 8 and 9 September 2026, where the main topic was the difficult position of milk producers: falling purchase prices, high production costs and uncertainty over feed supplies.

Polish prices down by about a quarter

Data on the Polish market show that higher deliveries have not improved profitability. In July 2026 the milk purchase price was 3.04% lower than a month earlier and 24.82% lower than in July 2025. Over the same time, milk purchases in Poland from January to July rose by 2.3% compared with the same period a year earlier.

Producers are burdened by high energy and fuel costs, while drought adds to concerns about feed. Retail chains also contribute to the pressure by using deep discounts on dairy products to attract customers. Copa-Cogeca representatives also pointed to growing global milk supply. If unfavourable conditions persist for long, farms may reduce their dairy cow herds. The European Commission sees signs of a price rebound in some member states but noted that the situation remains uneven.

Other topics discussed

The agenda also included the EU livestock strategy, a protein plan aimed at reducing dependence on external feed imports, and an assessment of the Nitrates Directive. Participants also discussed anaerobic digestion of manure for energy production.

Italy's Giovanni Guarneri was re-elected chair. Grabarczyk and France's Ludovic Blin were named deputy chairs.