15/02/2011

Jim Paice has incurred the wrath of Scottish dairy farmers by rejecting the possibility of contracts to provide long-term stability for producers. He commented at the annual NFU Scotland meeting that it was unrealistic to believe milk processors would sign up to contracts for prices that were out of line with the market.

Paice did acknowledge that many in the UK dairy industry were finding it unprofitable, but claimed, contrary to the NFU’s The Great Milk Robbery report of last year, that overall production had not dropped significantly.

Despite dismissing the role of contracts in helping secure a better deal for farmers, Paice did commit himself to fighting for more equality in the milk production chain.