Milk price campaigners fume over pace of talks with Shropshire dairy
Campaigners calling for fairer milk prices for dairy farmers have criticised the slow progress in arranging meetings with bosses at Shropshire's biggest dairy.
The Muller Wiseman Milk Partnership Board, acting for farmers, will hold a meeting with directors from the Market Drayton-based dairy on August 7.
But members of Farmers For Action (FFA) have said that is not soon enough. Chairman Dave Handley and county member Paul Rowbottom said they fear for the future of the industry.
Mr Handley said: "For some time I have been very frustrated about farmers' boards, not only Muller Wiseman. They get themselves in a place that everything moves at the company's pace. Farmers are struggling to pay bills. Our latest protest in Market Drayton was a fortnight ago and we have got to wait and wait."
Muller Wiseman pays a standard rate of 31.5 pence per litre, with an extra penny as a production incentive, or a formula based contract for up to 33.27ppl.
But the FFA said the cost of production currently stands at 33.5ppl.
Mr Rowbottom added that it is an increasingly desperate situation.
He said: "I'm disgusted it's taken so long to arrange a meeting when people are struggling so much.
"I've never seen farmers so depressed. They are going back to borrowing more money.
"The board is obviously in no rush to sort out a meeting, it sends a message back to the dairies that they must be all right.
"They could stomp their feet and make a lot of noise but I don't think they are doing that."
He added: "If they don't change anything there will be no future for farming in the country."
The board and bosses at Muller Wiseman last had a meeting at the beginning of July but Roddy Catto, chairman of the Milk Partnership Board, said they are doing all they can.
He said: "The farmers' board are in continual dialogue with the company, I'm speaking to them at least once or twice a week. We have regular phone conversations, we are not delaying it at all.
"The reason the meeting is on August 7, some of the guys we need to be there are on holiday and also there is an event on the 8th."
He added that the board has achieved "a significant amount" over the past year and invited any Muller Wiseman producers to contact him with concerns which he would take forward.
