UK: Dairy coalition puts efforts into targeting retailers

Leaders of the dairy coalition say they have committed to putting 100 per cent effort into targeting retailers.

They say they want all major buyers of milk to ensure dairy farmers are paid a fair price, as the row over processor cuts in farm gate prices to farmers continues to rage.

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU), NFU scotland (NFUS), NFU Cymru, Tenant Farmers’ Association (TFA), Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) and Farmers For Action (FFA) met at the Royal Welsh Show today to reaffirm their commitment to reversing the planned milk price cuts to dairy farmers on August 1 and to ensuring the price cuts already in place are rescinded.

Morrisons and the Co-operative have both committed to increasing their milk price to cover the cost of production in recent days after hundreds of farmers took to the streets outside retailers and processors calling for a higher price for their milk.

Attentions remain focused on Asda, which increased its milk price last week but dairy farmers says the new price still falls below the cost of production.

There is also mounting pressure on all supermarket discounters and other major buyers of milk to ensure they pay more.

Speaking after the meeting, NFU President Peter Kendall said: “The farming community is more united than ever before and the strength of feeling on this dairy issue is increasing and not decreasing.

“We will spend the rest of this month collectively throwing 100 per cent of our efforts into to reversing the price cuts from earlier this year and rescinding the ones on the horizon on August 1.”

The coalition will meet again at the start of next week.