Farmers For Action angered at cuts in milk and grain prices
The Farmers For Action’s Steering Committee say that the recent cut in milk prices by Lakeland Dairies will no doubt be followed by the other dairy processors.
They added that regardless of a 1p/ltr cut of the farm gate milk price – it is an absolute disgrace with virtually the same price being paid in 1987, 38 years ago instead of 60p/ltr+.
William Taylor FFA chairman said: “One would have to ask which planet are these people on?
“Can they not see they are driving dairy farmers out of business across the UK, just like suckler farmers are being driven out by the large abattoirs across the UK paying an abysmal price for beef when it should be well over £8 per kilo.
“And now those same processors are becoming short of the raw material – the same can be said for grain farmers being fleeced by multi-national grain and oil seed corporates, with farmers now receiving prices close to 40 years ago.
“And yet all we hear on the main stream news is food inflation – it’s certainly not coming from farmers who do not control the retail price of food.
“The Government also does not control the retail price of food – this is controlled by Tesco watching Asda, watching Lidl, watching Sainsburys etc and guess who finishes up with all the profits in between?
“In short, farmers are losing out beyond belief and consumers are paying the price for less food, more packaging and more sugar.”
William Taylor added: “The current Government in Stormont has the chance in what little time remains in this mandate to sort this problem by introducing the Northern Ireland Farm Welfare Bill, which would return farmers a true cost of production inflation linked plus a margin for their produce.
“The current Government has had every chance during this mandate to put the Bill into statute, however, the two key bodies, Alliance and the Department for Agriculture, including the Minister, won’t support family farmers getting properly paid!”
“The Northern Ireland Farm Welfare Bill is now being looked at as a UK-wide Welfare Bill and progress in either Stormont or Westminster couldn’t come soon enough.
“It should help protect family farmers from inheritance tax, and abuse from poor farm gate prices, climate change and corporate food processors, corporate food wholesalers and corporate food retailers which is turning the farming into what is tantamount to exploitation at its worst.”
