The dairy coalition has called on Defra Farming Minister David Heath to call in milk buyers failing to implement the voluntary code.

Processors were given until March 31, 2013, to comply with the terms of the code by offering fairer and more balanced contracts to farmers. The code was agreed voluntarily between farming and processing representatives, and has been adopted by Defra as the favoured policy alternative to legislation as proposed by the European Commission.

The Dairy Coalition, the NFU, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, TFA, WFU and the RABDF has written to Farming Minister David Heath calling on him to act on its concerns over the companies not yet signed up to the code.

NFU dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond said: “While a number of large milk buyers are implementing the code, there still some who have failed to step up to the mark and make the changes we have demanded. Since our March deadline passed, the coalition has been applying pressure in various ways to get processors to act. This has included calling on retailers to insist that their supply base offers farmers compliant contracts. This, however isn’t enough. We need Defra to ramp up the pressure to ensure the code is the success it can and should be.”

TFA dairy representative Richard Elliot said: “Our members’ patience is growing very thin; if milk buyers can’t be trusted to do the right thing and work with farmers to deliver better contracts then Government needs to step in. This isn’t rocket science, we just want a fair deal.”

RABDF chairman Ian Macalpine said: “Parallel to this call for assistance from Government, the message from the whole coalition to farmers is you have the power to change contracts. With milk supplies short and processors crying out for milk, farmers need to stand firm and demand change.”