Scottish dairy farmers are planning a further day of activity to convince retailers and processors of the need for dairy farmers to receive a fair milk price.
Activity planned for tomorrow (Thursday, 26 July) follows up dairy farmer action in Dumfries and Inverness where dairy farmers have met with consumers outside Asda, Morrisons, Iceland, Farm Foods and Lidl stores.
The retailer action tomorrow, planned for the North East of Scotland, will see dairy farmers speak to consumers shopping at Farmfoods and Iceland Stores in Inverurie, Peterhead and Forfar.
NFUS understands a peaceful demonstration involving dairy farmers and their families is also being organised for a Scottish milk processing site tomorrow evening.
The Union and other dairy farming organisations have called for all recent price cuts and those planned for August 1 to be rescinded. Since the action started, a number of retailers have improved the price they pay to those who supply them with their own label milk. While that change of heart is welcome, NFUS wants to see all producers benefit from an improved price with own label milk only making up a small proportion of the branded milk, cheese, butter, cream and yoghurt found in a retailer’s dairy section.
NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller said:
“A number of retailers have been convinced of the need to deliver a fairer price to hard-pressed dairy farmers. So far, those improved price announcements have been to the benefit of those lucky to be in the position of supplying a supermarket with its own label milk.
“However, it costs the same to produce milk on a farm supplying the liquid market as it does if your milk is going into cheese or butter. We want all dairy farmers to see their price returned to a sustainable level so that future production can be secured. That is something that consumers have given their backing to.
“In the next few days, we will continue to press a number of retailers and all major processors on the need for price cuts to be dropped and farmgate prices restored.
“Tomorrow, we want to talk to shoppers at Iceland and Farmfoods stores and urge them to put pressure on their retailer to play fair on milk prices. At the same time, we will engage with milk processors and ask them to properly reward those hard-working producers who are keeping their processing lines filled with milk.
“Having price cuts reversed was one of the priorities that emerged from the NFU Scotland dairy crisis meeting in Lanark three weeks ago. Dairy farmers are invited back to Lanark again on Monday 30 July and we want processors and retailers co-operation in ensuring we have a positive tale to tell them.”
Notes to Editors
- Dairy farmers are planning a consumer-targeted campaign tomorrow (Thursday, 26 July) outside Farmfoods and Iceland stores in Inverurie, Peterhead and Forfar. The farmers will be talking to shoppers and handing out leaflets to explain the crisis situation regarding prices our dairy farmers are being paid for their milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt and cream products. Farmfoods and Iceland have yet to deliver any increase in the prices paid for milk and dairy products. All groups will be at Farmfoods at 10am tomorrow, and at Iceland stores at 12pm.
- The media contact for Inverurie is Roddy Catto on 07789 686702.
- The media contact for Forfar is Sandy Milne (07785 287339)
- The media contact for Peterhead is Jean McLean (07816 890967)
Ends
Contact Sarah Anderson on 0131 472 4108