The shock of last week's news has yet to subside among Luxembourg's dairy farmers. "At first, it’s a real shock , I have to be honest", said Christophe Ernster, a member of the Prolek cooperative. "It takes time to really grasp what this means. There have been plenty of sleepless nights." Nearly all of Prolek’s members attended Monday’s emergency meeting in Junglinster.
Frank Daleiden described the mood as subdued but constructive, explaining that everyone behaved respectfully and sought answers from the cooperative, which tried to give as much clarity as possible. Cooperative president Vic Wirtz reiterates the cooperative's aim to find a new buyer collectively, maintaining solidarity among members.
Despite the anxiety, many farmers stressed their optimism, describing resilience as a necessity in their profession. Still, Wirtz was unequivocal about the seriousness of the situation: "This is about the existence of 68 farms. Literally about existence."
Daleiden pointed out that unemployment benefits are not available in this case and that farmers cannot influence Lactalis' decision by improving milk quality. He underlined the consistent investments made in their operations, which create significant debt despite state support, that can only be repaid with the income generated by the sold milk.
Many Prolek members expressed a strong preference for supplying a dairy company that produces locally, as such companies are less likely to relocate production abroad. Moreover, Daleiden points out that in an ideal scenario, this would be "a cooperative where we can buy in and have a say in operations".
Christophe Ernster also called for a long-term solution, which gives clearer prospects of the financial viability of operations to younger generations that are interested in taking over a family-run farm.
Farmers are hoping for at least some flexibility around deadlines. In France, Lactalis reportedly gave farmers two years to find an alternative solution, and Prolek’s board is now working urgently to secure something similar in Luxembourg.
On Monday, members of the cooperative also met with Minister of Agriculture Martine Hansen, who has promised to examine ways the government could support affected farmers.
