Vorarlberg Milk: Vote on fate cooperation with NÖM!

Vorarlberg Milk: Vote on fate cooperation with NÖM!

Alpe Oberlose, 6867 Schwarzenberg, Österreich - Vorarlberg milk is faced with a pioneering decision. On Monday, 444 cooperative votes about the possible cooperation with the Lower Austrian Molkerei NÖM. The cooperative has had financial difficulties in recent years and writes red numbers. NÖM, selected as a strategic partner, is considered a successful dairy and generated sales of 645 million euros in 2023 - ten times the sales of Vorarlberg Milch.

Historically, Vorarlberg Milk processes around 60 million liters of milk every year, while Nöm processes this amount in just seven weeks. This illustrates the significant differences in the capacity and market position of the two companies.

vote and possible merger

The General Assembly will deal with the specific offer. In the event of approval with a two-thirds majority, Vorarlberg would continue as an independent cooperative within the NÖM group. In addition, Vorarlberg Milch would have the potential to receive a three percent share in NÖM AG. Vorarlberg farmers would continue to remain milk of the Vorarlberg.

Josef Moosbrugger, the president of the Chamber of Agriculture, supports the initiative for merger with NÖM. He emphasizes potential price advantages and improvements in marketing for farmers. In this context, Moosbrugger pleads for the advantages of cooperation, which have not been specified in more detail. The proposal fits into a current context in which cooperatives are considered a suitable form of organization for the economic stability and cohesion of agriculture in Vorarlberg.

The role of the cooperatives

Most dairies are organized in Vorarlberg. These not only serve the economic and professional association of farmers, but are also responsible for important areas such as soil management, cattle breeding and milk processing. There are currently 38 whey cooperatives and 83 savings and loan associations in the region, which together form a central organization based in Bregenz.

Agricultural development in Vorarlberg shows that close cooperations between agricultural actors are of crucial importance. This can be compared, for example, with the situation in Switzerland or the Allgäu, which are considered exemplary for such cooperatives. Despite the challenges in the form of wars and inflation, cooperative structures in Vorarlberg have gained strength.

Moosbrugger emphasizes that cooperative cooperation was originally a question of peasant survival. Cooperatives have received a lot of encouragement, especially in difficult times, while removal movements can be observed in better times. Nevertheless, you have a significant influence on the overall economy and pricing and contribute to the long -term position of agriculture in society and business.

The upcoming votes will be decisive for the future of the Vorarlberg milk. The decision could not only affect the cooperative itself, but also the entire agriculture of the region. For farmers in Vorarlberg, the question remains exciting whether cooperation with NÖM is the right way to create a stable economic basis.