We are urgently developing research requirements with other European laboratories to make sure we understand and the disease (Schmallenberg) better.Help save the British dairy industry
FARMERS Guardian has joined the fight to save the British dairy industry with the launch of our Fair Trade for British Dairy Farmers campaign.
As part of the campaign we will be highlighting the decline of the British dairy industry as well as putting pressure on retailers to back their dairy farmers.
Our petition demands retailers, discounters and food service companies:
• Source British dairy products;
• Use transparent and stable pricing mechanisms for liquid milk and cheese suppliers which offer producers a sustainable milk price;
• Promote the Red Tractor on all own label, British dairy products.
Farmers Guardian editor Emma Penny said: “If UK consumers want to be able to continue enjoying British dairy products, it is vital they take steps now to protect their supply.
“We need their support to drive the message home to retailers, discounters and food service companies that they should pay a fair price to producers to ensure their businesses are sustainable.”
Readers' comments (9)
allan williams | 3 September 2009 9:36 pm
water costs more than milk everyone knows milk is cheap, economics force farmers to keep more and more cows not good for cows,farmers or the environment
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
JASON JONES | 22 September 2009 8:31 pm
get the job done
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Chris Burnham | 23 October 2009 7:13 am
Milk, bread and potatoes are the sustenance of life. Farmers need to be rewarded for thier commitment to continued investment and animal welfare. Associated industries have a dependance on agricultral profitability. Once the industry has declined it cannot be recovered.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Julie West | 14 November 2009 4:04 pm
How can supermarkets get away with paying less per litre for milk than it costs the farner to produce? The Govt should be forcing supermarkets to pass some of their vast profits on to the producer.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Samantha Lloyd-Jeffries | 7 October 2010 10:28 am
It's time the Government stepped in and stopped the Greedy Supermarkets from destroying the British Milk industry. They should be supporting it. With the huge profits these Supermarket Giants boast I'm sure they can afford to pay enough to the Farmers to make a suitable living and put less of a mark up on a pint so the Consumer isn't paying more to line the Supermarket fatcats pockets.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Ian Bucks | 8 October 2010 10:18 pm
please can somebody tell me how to help......will buying my milk from the milkman rather than the supermarket support the farmers?
there is no local farm shop and the farmers market is not frequent enough to keep me in cereals etc,
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 14 November 2010 6:33 pm
I ask the same as Ian Bucks. I don't know where to source milk that is priced correctly - as in, the cost actually pays for its production. Does any exist?Is it organic milk?
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Victoria | 16 April 2011 11:26 pm
Wow! are you guys all young farmers ? I've never heard/met anyone who wasn't a farmer/family who had any idea it's Mr Tesco not the 'millionare' farmers who take ALL the profit and more (my Dad is a farmer)
Thank god there are some people who see the light , today you gave me hope .
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Mike Kimber | 3 July 2011 3:46 pm
I am dismayed by an article in today's Observer that highlights the bullying tactics employed by the Big 4 supermarkets in their dealings with our farmers. I have only ever bought British eggs, poultry, pork and beef but I realise this is not enough.
I have had enough of the tosh spoken about 'millionaire farmers' when Tesco and Sainsburys have both declared record profit rises, at the same time as farmers are going to the wall trying to keep up with the ridiculous supply price demands of these greedy monoliths. What happens when we have NO indigenous food producers? I am now convinced; I will not use supermarkets again but will purchase from local producers in a packaging-free, source-transparent, mutually supportive way. (I made the mistake of going into our local Tesco Express recently, desparate as I was to pick up some Coriander and Capers. Not, I appreciate, products that are grown in this country.. BUT the uninterested twit who masqueraded as a customer assistant had never heard of either commodity finally convincing me that Tesco who I never use is run by Ogres, staffed by idiots and care
nowt about either the future of our farmers or our food security).
HOW can we convince the government to take action (not words, meetings, palliative gestrures) against these huge organisations? It HAS to be done. If any of the posters on this site have ideas please let us all know.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment