MILK PAYMENT SYSTEM AS A TOOL FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE EU RULES ON HYGIENE FOODSTUFFS: DIFFERENCES RELATED TO PRODUCTION LEVEL, PROVINCE AND SEASON OF PRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to evaluate a sheep milk payment of the milk produced in Tuscany in 2006 based on fat and protein levels. Data were collected twice a month in each of the 371 farms considered. Following the Tuscany Region recommendations three different levels of payment has been created. A neutral zone where the price of the milk remained invariant and other two levels, one positive (base milk price plus bonus) and one negative (base milk price minus bonus), both calculated by statistical procedures. The results showed that the period of the year markedly influenced the price paid and thus the payment grid has to be produced accordingly to these variations. Nonetheless the application of a payment system as the one proposed here needs a strong adjustment of the farms to the new quality requirements.