Farmers step up milk price fight
More than 2,000 desperate dairy farmers – including hundreds from Shropshire and Mid Wales – today took the battle to save their industry to the heart of Westminster.
More than 2,000 desperate dairy farmers – including hundreds from Shropshire and Mid Wales – today took the battle to save their industry to the heart of Westminster.
Coach-loads of beleaguered farmers set off from Shrewsbury, Shifnal, Oswestry and Mid Wales to call for urgent action to give them a fair price for their milk.
They say they are making a loss on every pint they produce because of cuts to the price paid by dairies.
Today’s show of strength was lobbying a dairy summit at Westminster’s Central Hall involving Agriculture Minister Jim Paice, the NFU and industry leaders.
It comes after Arla Foods, Robert Wiseman Dairies, and Dairy Crest announced cuts of up to 2p for the price they will pay for each litre of milk from August on top of similar cuts in April.
Farmers now receive around 28p for every litre of milk they sell which will fall to around 26p a litre in August. Yet it costs around 30p to produce every litre and milk sells for around 45p a pint – about 85p a litre.
Norman Ford, of Prees, has 200 cows and said he stood to lose ‘a hell of a lot’. The 56-year-old said the cuts would cost £20,000-a-year and said: “We’re being ripped off by the supermarkets. The middle-man is taking all the money again.”
Rob Alderson, chairman of the Shropshire branch of the NFU, said it was ‘sad’ that farmers were having to leave their farms to protest, but it was the only option they had.
Farmers have been banned from displaying banners because of security ahead of the Olympics.
The summit will call for measures to ensure farmers are not paid less than the cost of production.
John Mercer, NFU regional director, said: “The fact so many farmers are ready to take action shows the strength of feeling.”
Those who cannot go have pledged to write to the Government for a fairer deal. Michael Oakes who farms at Rednal, near Oswestry, said:
“Farmers have said enough is enough and this is a real show of strength.”
Comments for: "Farmers step up milk price fight"
Port Hill Boy
I'm unclear about what the figure for producing a litre of milk includes.
Farmers say it is 30p but does that include the wage the farmer pays himself? In pricing most products salary/NI costs are included.
If that is the case with milk then farmers are going to face a lower income - just like millions of others . They aren't a special case.
Mandy
I dont know of any dairy farmers, self included, who pay themselves a wage. If they do it will not be in line with a salary to reflect 7 days a week 12 hours a day, highly skilled job. The 30p production cost will be calculated on the cost of feed, vet bills, water, crops ie straw, wheat and barley, insurance, buildings, electircity, wages for any staff that are employed, fuel - all this and more goes into the cost of producing milk. With rising cost in everything at every turn to be told we have to have a 20% drop in our income and still cope is so wrong. Would you accept a 20% wage even though your company is selling its product at a massive profit in front of you? Oh and if you want to leave your job you have to give 12 months notice!
H. St. John Peasbody
No dairy farmers that you know pay themselves a wage, including yourself? How do you provide for yourself? I do not believe your comment at all, I'm afraid!
Maybe if farmers displayed more honesty then the general public might be a little more receptive to their alleged problems.
in and out
I think you are missing the point here. Most farmers don't actually pay themselves a salary as such and most "wealth" is tied up in capital or re-invested or just plain paying costs/interest.
The average farmer will lose £50000+ if this goes through; there aren't many average business that could stand that. Of course we can always import milk - that was the previous solution - French farmers get the equivalent of 36p per litre so you can do the maths about what your supermarket trolley will go to.
Port Hill Boy
Of course they do! How else do they pay for clothes, food, heating, etc etc.
Louise
Interestingly, I have just received a letter from Dairy Crest notifying me of a 4p per litre rise in the price of my milk - I have no problem with the rise but set against the backdrop of cutting prices to farmers it rather sticks in my throat.
Telford Steve
If I had a 450 acre farm and was facing a drop switch to growing elephant grass. You can get paid for growing it, get paid about £50/ton to sell it (approx 3 ton per acre) and still get your single payment (about (£80 per acre). If all the Shropshire farmers got together Buildwas power station wouldn't need to import willow wood from the USA.
in and out
PHB - you obviously are neither self employed or have any knowledge of farming
Port Hill Boy
Actually I am self employed! And take money from the business for personal spending - and that's built into the charges I set for my products. Just as farmers do. Otherwise what do they live on??!!
dairy farmer
Supermarkets claim to champion the consumer when really they have loss leaders at our expense to entice shoppers in and reclaim the loss on other goods. We are too honest and not eloquent in our arguments, our failing is not educating the public in the realities of farming or what face each day.This works against the well oiled pr machines of our "enemies"
Katherine de Gama
@Dairy Farmer - Farming Today is v good at covering the issues you raise. Best of luck.
Lenton Shake
Hope our dairy farmers survive this crazy multinational corporate retail giants' milkfest. In the bit of Salop that I grew up in, most of our more moderate local farmers were ardent supporters of Thatcher's Britain as she and her chaps snatched milk from school kids and encouraged the retail giants and out of town mega supermarkets etc which seem to have laid the ground for corporate giants to grind our farmers into the ground. Careful what you wish for.
And what's the point of skimmed milk? Never liked rasberry pips in my yoghourt.