New Shropshire dairy blockade as crisis talks go on

Hundreds of dairy farmers staged a third blockade outside Shropshire's Robert Wiseman dairy – hours after company bosses and union leaders held talks in a bid to settle the crisis.

More than 500 people were at the Robert Wiseman and Muller dairies in Market Drayton from 8pm as part of a nationwide protest against the dairy giant.

Robert Wiseman, which is owned by Muller, plans to cut 1.7p off the amount it pays farmers for each litre of milk they produce.

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Farmers say the cuts, which will come into force on August 1, will see them making a loss of up to 4p on every litre. Many say they will be selling each litre of milk for around 26p, while spending around 30p to produce it.

Yesterday Dairy Crest agreed to put its planned 1.65p a litre price cut on hold for two months, farmer co-op First Milk also called off a 1.7p cut, and Arla Foods also backtracked, piling pressure on Robert Wiseman Dairies to do the same.

Dairy Crest, which supplies around 15 per cent of British milk production, cut its milk price by 2p a litre in May. The firm said it hoped the two-month delay would allow it to 'find a long term solution for the dairy sector'.

Morrisons and Lidl – two of Dairy Crest's major retail customers – have agreed to pay more per litre to support farmers, but Dairy Crest said the additional revenue from this would not be enough to completely reverse the planned cut.

National farmers leaders say talks held yesterday at the Market Drayton Muller site were 'cordial' and 'workmanlike'.

The SOS Dairy song, recorded in support of the farmers

NFU president Peter Kendall, vice president Adam Quinney and chief NFU dairy adviser Robert Newbery spent about an hour in talks with company bosses yesterday afternoon.

Mr Quinney said: "We talked about the dire situation Shropshire farmers, alongside those from across the country, find themselves in and the reality of them not receiving a fair price for their milk at farm gate.

"Every issue to do with this difficult and unacceptable situation was covered and we put forward what we and our members feel are the solutions.

"We were there for just over an hour and I felt we had a very serious discussion about the future of dairying and how the problems can be resolved.

"The meeting was cordial, straight-forward and straight talking, it really was a very workmanlike discussion as you would expect about what is a very serious issue for our members, their families, rural businesses and the industry as a whole.

"Talks are still on-going and it was important we met with Muller yesterday to put a firm case forward for British dairying."

A spokesman for Muller Dairy said: "We fully understand dairy farmers' concerns at a time that farm costs are rising. We are in active and constructive discussions and also the NFU with a view to finding the means to resolve this issue.

"We are making progress and further statements will be issued when there are conclusions to these discussions."

Following the meeting the Farmers for Action Group staged another protest outside the factory, following similar blockades on Sunday and Tuesday.

Paul Rowbottom, a member of Farmers for Action, who also lead protests on Tuesday night, said protestors had closed 'every Wiseman's in the country' last night.

He said: "Farmers have been holding discussions with the dairies and I believe there's one tomorrow but we're just making a stand to show them they will not get away with it. We're still getting a lot of public support. I have come straight from a protest in Uttoxeter where we made a 24-hour stand at Dairy Crest but we got a result out of them. They have given us back the 2p they knocked off and cancelled the 1.65p reduction that was planned for August."

Mr Rowbottom said organisers had asked for more people to come forward last night.

He said: "We've had OAPs bringing us flasks of tea and non-farmers supporting us as well, so we've still got the numbers.

"Whether the discussions continue or not we will be back again.

"All the Wiseman Dairies are shut tonight. It's the first time we've managed to do that this time round – the last time was about eight years ago.

"We might be here until 2am but a lot of us have just come from a 24-hour stint so we're getting a bit tired tonight."

NFU president Peter Kendall said: "Farmers, their families and shoppers have supported this campaign to see a fair price paid to our dairy farmers. It has been an amazing show of strength and support.

"There has been some fantastic work by a number of organisations and individuals on this issue in the past two weeks but we can't – and won't – take our eye off the ball.

"I am committed to ensuring our dairy farmers have a secure future and we will continue to work extremely hard on the challenges that lie ahead."