East of England dairy farmers will join farmers from across the country at a national summit in Westminster on Wednesday, as the crisis within the sector deepens.
National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Peter Kendall, Minister for Agriculture and Food, Jim Paice, other representatives from the dairy sector and MPs are among those taking part in the event, which follows recent farm gate milk price cuts.
The aim of the event is to address the issue and consider the action that is needed to bringing about a sustainable dairy supply chain.
The NFU has warned that significant price cuts will drive farmers out of the dairy industry, which is united in its demand for an immediate reversal of recent and planned cuts.
There is a “window of opportunity” between now and August 1 to ensure that all milk price cuts imposed on farmers since April 1 be reversed, it insists.
It hopes the summit will act as a catalyst for that reversal, and will also allow discussion about how to bring wholesale change to the sector so dairy farmers are not paid a price below the cost of production for their milk.
Farmers will be heading to London from the NFU Regional Office, Newmarket at 9am on Wednesday. They will be meeting other farmers at 1pm at Central Hall Westminster, Storey’s Gate, London, SW1H 9NH.
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