More than 400 farmers have blockaded the Arla Dairy in Leeds in wake of milk price cuts.

Peaceful protests were carried out for several hours, stopping deliveries to and from the site from 8pm on Thursday (19 July) while in Somerset, slurry tankers queued up outside the Robert Wiseman plant. Co-ordinated by more than one action group, including 'Farmers for Action' (FFA) it is believed Arla did listen, allowing a representative from FFA inside to discuss the issue although milk deliveries didn't resume until this morning (20 July).

The protests come on the back of price cuts by some major processors and it is believed more protests could be imminent.

Dairy farmer, Eric Dowson told Farming Online: "My hat goes off to certain supermarkets for getting behind and supporting the industry but there are a certain few who have no regard for fair play. Some pay less than the cost of production and it is these processors and supermarkets who we need to lobby. While we cannot condone the spreading of slurry on supermarket carparks, it’s quite conceivable that that will happen if this continues.”

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