21 June 2011

Dairy farmers will be lobbying MPs today to try and secure more support for their industry. A group of ten farmers, representing the number forced to leave the sector every week, will travel to Westminster to present their case.  

The farmers say the industry is suffering from rising input costs and low farmgate prices. However, their main complaint is the unfairness of contracts; they maintain that contracts locking farmers into one buyer are uncompetitive and have pledged support for proposed European Commission reforms that will put more emphasis on forming cooperatives and, they believe, will therefore level the playing field.

The initiative has been organised by the NFU, who say they hope to revitalise the industry; the average age of farmers is 60 and the number of people going out of business is dramatically high, which currently makes dairy farming an unappealing option for young people coming into the farming business. David Shaw, who chairs the NFU’s North-East regional dairy board, has urged dairy farmers across the region to get involved in the ongoing campaign by writing to their MPs and milk buyers.

Mr Shaw said, “The Government has a real opportunity here to raise the benchmark and help safeguard the future of hundreds of small family farms. Our message will be loud and clear - now is the time to back our dairy farmers.”

To view a segment from ITV covering the story, follow the link here.

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