Bishop urges people to pray for Shropshire's dairy farmers during milk price row
The Bishop of Shrewsbury has waded into the dairy farming crises by urging people to pray for farmers facing falling milk prices.
The Right Reverend Mark Rylands said he wants congregations across Shropshire to begin praying for the farmers, many of who are receiving 10p per litre less for milk than it costs to produce.
He said: "I urge our Shropshire churches to pray for our farmers and support them by buying milk from shops and supermarkets that pay farmers a fair price. Let's stand by our neighbours who are struggling.
"Speaking to dairy farmers recently, many are concerned about their futures in the industry.
"The Arthur Rank Centre in Warwickshire, which supports rural communities, has highlighted the plight of dairy farmers at this difficult time of low milk prices and delayed payments."
Reverend Peter Dakin, rural officer for the Diocese of Lichfield, added: "A number of dairy companies have already announced that they will reduce the producer price from early January.
"This reduction is equivalent to £96 per cow, or for a herd of average size, £17,170 in the year."
It comes as Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies quizzed Prime Minister David Cameron in the House of Commons over what is being done to help farmers get a fair price and be paid on time.
The Prime Minister revealed there would be a review of powers available to the adjudicator.
The NFU said in December that the number of dairy farmers had dipped below 10,000 for the first time - a 50 per cent fall since 2001.
The committee said there is no "single solution" but said it is dependant on the Government to promote UK dairy produce domestically and in growing export markets.
This week, supermarket giant Sainsbury's launched a national newspaper advertising campaign to show its support for British dairy farmers.
The campaign ran across national newspapers, outlining how much Sainsbury's paid farmers for four pints of milk.
Sainsbury's claims farmers get paid 78p for four pints of milk sold to M&S, 73p to Tesco and 72p to Sainsbury's.
They say the current cost of production is approximately 68p for four pints and claim farmers are paid 56p at Morrisons, 56p at Asda and 56p to 59p at Lidl, Aldi and Iceland.
