MP Hears Pembrokeshire Dairy Farmers Concerns
WALES - The difficult situation facing Wales’ dairy farmers was raised by National Farmers Union (NFU) Cymru members when they met with Simon Hart MP on farm in Pembrokeshire recently.
5 August 2011
2 minute read
The meeting, which took place on the farm of NFU Cymru Pembrokeshire County Chairman, David James, near Kilgetty was an opportunity for members to voice their concerns on the issues impacting upon their businesses with the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire.
Mr James, himself a dairy producer, took the opportunity to explain to Mr Hart that the price that farmers in the UK receive for their milk lags behind that received by farmers elsewhere in the world quite significantly.
Mr James said: “At a time when world commodity prices for milk and cheese are soaring, UK butter prices have reached record levels and there is strong consumer demand for our produce, I find it most unfair that farmers in Wales aren’t able to benefit from such strong markets. I am not looking for special treatment all I am asking for is to be paid a price for my product that accurately reflects prevailing world market conditions."
“Based on my calculations we are at least three pence a litre down on what our European competitors are getting and five pence behind what global markets are paying. An additional five pence on a litre of milk would be transformational for Wales’ dairy farmers and would allow them to make the investments they need in modern facilities.”
Mr James continued: “I don’t believe that we can rely on milk buyers to address the dysfunctions in the dairy supply chain and that is why we are impressing upon Simon Hart the importance of the UK Government implementing in full the European Commission’s dairy package which would force milk buyers to offer a milk contract to producers which would set a mechanism for determining milk price and would allow both parties a method of terminating the agreement in the event of unreasonable behaviour.”
David James concluded: “I would like to thank Simon Hart for coming out and joining us on farm."
"I very much hope that he is able to take the important messages around the issues that we have raised with him back to his colleagues in Westminster.”
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