FFA and NFU set August deadline for reinstatement of milk prices

Farmers for Action (FFA) is calling on UK milk processors to reinstate all price cuts that have taken place since 1st April 2012.

Throwing down the gauntlet to processors,  FFA says: “They have until 1st August 2012 to confirm that this will be done, if not they will need to notify their retail customers that milk distribution will be seriously disrupted.”

Falling milk prices have led to calls to FFA from a number of large scale dairy producers and the group comments: “The radar is clearly showing it is the usual culprits starting with none other than our friends at Tesco and Asda.  Why Tesco? Wiseman says the latest price cut is due to falling cream prices yet we all see the TV advert where our friends at Tesco are giving cream away free.  Our friends at Asda continue to discount dairy product, which then influences what happens within the whole middle ground sector.”

Yesterday, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) chaired a meeting with leaders from NFU Scotland, NFU Cymru, the Tenant Farmers Association and FFA, who came together in Gloucestershire in an industry show of strength after a “catastrophic three months for the sector”.

In a joint statement they said: “There is a window of opportunity between now and August 1st to progress a robust voluntary code of practice, however, we will also be exploring a regulatory solution from government.”

A further summit and protest meeting will take place in London on Wednesday of next week.