EXCLUSIVE - John Milne: 'Farmers are expected to adhere to high animal standards while being condemned to an unfair market structure'

The Horsham MP said the current food system makes it nearly impossible for farmers to sell food profitably outside supermarket contracts, making it incredibly difficult for people to access locally-produced food in the process

clock • 3 min read
Liberal Democrat MP John Milne said: "When supermarkets wield such concentrated buyer power, they can force farmers to accept prices below the cost of production, delay payments, and cancel orders at the last minute. Incidents that, unfortunately, are becoming standard practice in a broken system."
Image:

Liberal Democrat MP John Milne said: "When supermarkets wield such concentrated buyer power, they can force farmers to accept prices below the cost of production, delay payments, and cancel orders at the last minute. Incidents that, unfortunately, are becoming standard practice in a broken system."

The struggles facing farmers trapped in supermarket supply chains could not be starker. 10 supermarket chains currently control nearly 97% of the UK's grocery market, which gives them tremendous power...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

Login

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

 

More on Politics

Defra breached law when allowing farmers to use bee-killing pesticides, watchdog finds

Defra breached law when allowing farmers to use bee-killing pesticides, watchdog finds

The assessment process for emergency authorisations of pesticides is now to be updated following the investigation by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)

Mia Willemsen
clock 07 July 2026 • 2 min read
Council vows to protect its county farms

Council vows to protect its county farms

Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for food, waste and rural affairs said county farms are 'much more than a line on a balance sheet'.

Rachael Brown
clock 06 July 2026 • 2 min read
Half of Window 1 SFI26 budget now allocated

Half of Window 1 SFI26 budget now allocated

Defra said demand has been strong since the scheme opened

Alex Black
clock 03 July 2026 • 1 min read