National summit as anger grows over milk price cuts

There will be no immediate taking to the streets by milk producers to protest over the new reduced price they will be getting next month but there will be a summit meeting in London next Wednesday to which all farmers are being invited.

At the same time, processors who have just completed announcing the latest cuts in the cash they will pay for milk are being asked to “think again” and restore prices back to the level they were at earlier this year.

These moves emerged from a crisis meeting held in Birmingham yesterday between the leaders of NFU Scotland, NFU for England and Wales, NFU Cymru, Tenant Farmers Association and the militant group, Farmers for Action.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the leaders said: “The catastrophic cuts will drive farmers out of the dairy industry and we are united in our demand for an immediate reversal of recent and planned cuts.

“There has been an unprecedented outcry of anger and frustration among farmers. We want to harness that strength of feeling and bring together farmers from across England, Scotland and Wales to express their feelings in London next week.

“Farmers have told us they will do whatever it takes to stand up against these cuts – Wednesday’s summit gives us that chance.”

The meeting next week will also be used to press home the case for completing a robust voluntary code of practice between the primary producers, processors and major retailers.

Failing that, the push will then be made for a regulatory code.

Scottish milk producers will, however, have an opportunity to “vent their spleen” at a meeting to be held in Lanark market on Monday at 1 pm.

NFU Scotland, which has organised the meeting, has also invited the processors to attend.

ANDREW ARBUCKLE