The irish cooperative movement has been a huge part of Irish farming history with most farmers selling to cooperatives acting as primary processors and food marketeers.  However over the years the professionalism of the co-ops combined with the consolidation mandated by the economies of scale have rendered these businesses only marginally different from commercial businesses, albeit with significant farmer shareholdings.  

EU regulations on pasteurisation, sterility, and the equipment required - often ludicrously prescriptive - also makes it almost impossible for individual farmers to raise the capital required for even small scale craft production.  The increasing dominance of the retail market by global supermarket chains also cuts off direct access to the vast majority of consumers.  Farmer's markets exist but they operate on the margins.

There are many regulatory, technological, capital, and economic barriers to direct market entry and it is very difficult for many farmers to survive without being caught in the corporately dominated supply chain.

notes from no w here