Hundred farmers to lobby over milk prices

A hundred dairy farmers from Shropshire are expected to take their fight against looming cuts in the milk price to London to lobby MPs for urgent action, it emerged today.

As many as 1,500 farmers from across Britain are expected at the crisis summit in the capital next Wednesday. As one of the country’s biggest dairy farming counties, Shropshire looks set to be well represented.

Industry leaders anticipate ‘a couple of coach loads’ of Shropshire farmers will attend the summit at Central Hall in Westminster.

It comes after milk processors Robert Wiseman Dairies, Arla Foods UK and Dairy Crest, announced fresh cuts of up to two pence per litre effective from August 1.

The summit was announced on Thursday after a joint meeting of NFU leaders demanded a reversal of milk price cuts imposed since April and the scrapping of further planned cuts.

At the talks farming leaders will call for big retailers and processors to make sure farmers are given a better deal. The NFU also wants the Government to consider regulation to make milk prices fairer.

Shropshire farmers today said they hope their action will result in measures to prevent dairy farmers being driven out of business.

Andrew Bebb, whose 190-acre dairy farm in Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, produces 700,000 litres of organic milk a year from 100 cows, said he intends to join fellow farmers on the day even though organic prices are as yet unaffected by the cuts.

He said: “I intend to go because this is a show of strength from our industry.”

Oliver Cartwright, NFU West Midlands spokesman, said: “We are hoping a couple of coach loads of farmers will be going down just from Shropshire.”