Milk price protests in Shropshire set to continue
Protests by crisis-hit dairy farmers will continue as milk prices keep falling.
That was the message from hundreds of farmers who packed into a meeting in Shropshire last night trying to ward off the threat to their livelihoods.
The battle cry was led by David Handley, chairman of campaign group Farmers For Action, who said farmers would have to "stand up and be counted".
He pleaded with those at the meeting to tighten up what they produced and said that only by controlling the market could they have any impact on the prices they were paid.
Stephen Wyrill, chairman of the Tenant Farmers association, laid bare the problems farmers were facing with the amount they paid for the milk they supply.
He said: "Some of the contracts farmers have are not worth the sawdust in this auction ring."
Britain should be able to feed its 65 million-plus population with its own milk, yoghurt and cheese, he said.
The stance was backed by Rob Harrison, the NFU dairy chairman, who said retailers must ensure that dairy products on their shelves were British and had the Red Tractor logo and that consumers were buying those products. During the meeting it was standing room only, and one young farmer suffered in the heat, fainting to the floor before receiving help from bystanders.
The meeting followed months of unstable milk prices and protests from farmers who feel they are no longer getting a fair price for their milk.
Market Drayton-based Muller Wiseman is to cut the price it pays to farmers for their milk by 1p to 23.15 pence per litre (ppl) from August 1 – the first time in five months that Muller UK & Ireland has changed the price it pays for milk.
Arla Foods announced that its suppliers will see their prices cut by 1.18p to 23.81ppl while dairy-owned co-operative First Milk has also cut its price by 1ppl.
Dairy Crest, however, announced that farmers on a Davidstow contract will receive 26.42ppl from August, an increase of 0.25ppl, although that will not benefit farmers in most parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the firm also revealed the liquid milk price paid to farmers supplying all or a proportion of their milk on a standard liquid contract will continue to be 23.09ppl. The organic liquid milk price will also stay unchanged, the firm said.
Speaking ahead of last night's meeting, Mr Handley said: "I went to see someone from a bank recently and he told me that in the last three weeks he has seen more farmers through his doors telling him they are close to dire straights than he has in the last nine months."
