Dairy Crisis Update - 01/08/2012

I have taken the majority of the news from the Farmers 4 Action news website (found here), but news can also be found here with the Farmers Guardian, the Farmers Weekly and the NFU.

On the 27th of July, Farmers For Action published the following press release:

"WISEMAN, MULLER have today rescinded the threatened milk price cut for the 1 August 2012. Farmers For Action welcome this announcement but it does not go far enough to deal with the current crisis faced by the dairy farmers. With announcements this week of major retailers and milk processors either adding money into the industry or with the processors Dairycrest, Arla, and First Milk rescinding their threatened price cuts, David Handley, Chairman of FFA says "this sends a very strong message regarding unity in the dairy industry. The united coalition group together with united dairy farmers, supported by the media and general public, have taken us up the first step toward a sustainable dairy industry, for the future of the next generation of dairy farmers."

On the 1st of August (today), Farmers For Action published another press release:

"Phase Two is well under way. A meeting of the coalition yesterday clearly showed everyone is 110% committed to delivering on the undertaking given at the beginning of the campaign. As everyone should be now aware, Phase Two is all about recovering cuts that were made in the April, May and June. We intend along with our partners, to flush out the money that has obviously gone into someone else's bank account and we will use every available avenue to achieve this by the deadline of September 1st 2012. This will involve going back over old ground so the big 4 retailers and 3 largest processors needn't think they are all off the hook. They need to come clean very quickly and explain where the money from the cuts went and what it was used for. If they have any morals or ethics this should come easily, if not someone's backside will get kicked and hard. To the middle gorund, discounters and food service industry, you too need to come clean very quickly to avoid disruption to your business. Again, we say to you, show us you have morals and ethics and contact members of the coalition as soon as possible. To the Government and all the devolved partners, you too have a responsibility in this dire situation UK dairy farmers are now facing. You have all recently made statements regarding what you intend to do; we hold you all to that".

Dairy Co has a very good summary of what has happened, have a look at their website.

We await the new movements on the dairy industry with renewed vigour.

Dairy Crisis Update - 20/7/2012

Dairy Crisis Update - 20/7/2012

A message from the NFU President (Peter Kendall) congratulates the farmers and supporters "who have shown support to our campaign to back British dairy farmers" . The full message can be found here. He expands on how the issue's profile has been raised in the consumer's eye, the NFU images of the milk protests (see below) have been used nearly 18,000 times and versions of this poster can be found here. 

The higher echelons of the NFU have been meeting with the various supermarkets and the milk processors and Peter Kendall continues in his message to state:  

"We are continuing our negotiations to get a satisfactory voluntary code on dairy contracts. Dairy Crest’s announcement that it is proposing to move to a 3 month termination date in supply contracts is a good step forward, although there are strings attached."

And he continues to state:

"Over the summer we want you all to lobby your MPs to bring in legislation on dairy contracts. We have legal advice that Jim Paice is mistaken in his view that EU legislation prevents us from having national regulations with the kind of provisions we would want; we will share this with you, with some briefing on lobbying MPs, later this week.

We hope that the retailers, food businesses and processors who are behind the crisis which dairy farmers face do meet this August 1st deadline in the face of such public pressure. If they do not then I will look to count on your support on August 2nd. Further details will follow but any action we support will be peaceful, legal but very visible."

In other areas, a French cartoon was reprinted on Facebook that shows the basic fact that the farmers get less than the milk processors.

Farmers for Action published their new for today by thanking

• Heather Morse of/and  Cowindale Feeds, Carmarthen  for laying on and paying for the coaches from West Wales last night.  Thats whats it all about, everybody involved in the industry pulling together. Thank you very much Cowindale Feeds.
• Highlighting ITV Daybreak for yet another ill informed MP regarding farm subsidy, as we all know dairy farmers do not receive a direct farm subsidy, it is linked to the land. I'm sure she will be educated in the coming days and weeks. 
• What a brilliant, well organised  protest last night at three venues.  Our FFA co-ordinators did a fantastic job, the guys down in the SW headed by James Badman together with Mark Evans  had well over 70 tractors plus foragers - Nigel Batten brought 2 coach loads from West Wales, so pleased that their long journey well worth it.  Yorkshire headed by Stephen Franklin also had a great turnout as did Andrew Hemmings and Tom Houghton in Ashby. 
• And at last got the eye of the media,  sure there are many who did'nt get much sleep, if any,last night.   Now we can pump it up, more venues to be visited in following days. Watch the Farmers 4 action website join in interactive chat on  Twitter: @farmers4action and also our Facebook page: farmers for action.  We all know we have got to win this one.

A couple of stories in the news highlight the lengths the diary farmers are willing to go:

• Hundreds of farmers blockaded milk plants into the early hours in protest at the price supermarkets pay for milk. The farmers - angry at cuts of up to 2p a litre - blocked deliveries with their tractors at plants in Somerset, Leicestershire and Yorkshire. More of this article can be found here.

• Hundreds of households will wake up to free milk delivered in secret by farmers campaigning for fairer milk prices. Scotland's "Dairy Godmother" will deliver a free pint of milk to 300 homes in the Edinburgh area early on Friday morning (20 July). More of the article can be found here. Thanks to Supermarkets: Stop Forcing Farmers Out of Business - Be Fair for highlighting this story.

Dairy Crisis Update - 13th of July 2012 - what can you do?

So as we gather on the 13th of July 2012, or Friday the 13th, some of the blog readers have asked what can be done? This advice is by no means definitive but only from what I have read online and from the twitter stream of @eurolinkseas. I did ask a question on my twitter feed:

"Now that public is getting behind #sosdairy, @NFUSouthEast @FARMERS4ACTION @FarmersWeekly @FarmersGuardian what do we tell them to do?"

I have yet to hear from any of them, but they are all busy.

So onto the advice...

• The NFU tweet is "Here's our poster in case you haven't seen it yet - It's time to back our dairy farmers ! #SOSdairy (Please click on the link)

•  Olivia Midgley (@FGoliviamidgley) from The Farmer's Guardian reports that "Scotland lays down dairy SOS action plan" here "@RichardLochhead @NFUStweets #sosdairy " - she continues in her article that the Scottish Government unveiled a 5 point action plan on the 12th of July and Rural Affairs minister Richard Lochead also called for his Welsh and English counterparts to meet up before Royal Welsh Show. The five points are as follows:
• Ministerial Summit
• Agree on a voluntary code of practice
• Demand clarity from the retailers for the consumers about how much the producers receive.
• Long term strategic report needed for where the dairy sector is going in the next 10 years and how it will get there.
• Ensure that the Scottish Agriculutural Organisation Society have sufficient resources to speed up the work on producer organisations and co-operatives. 
• More information can be found at the Farmer's Guardian Dairy Crisis micro-site that is found here.
• ‏@FARMERS4ACTION report that the e petition has 10,745 signatures at quarter to five on Friday afternoon with 134 signed in the last hour. If you haven't signed it, this is another thing that you can do. 
• Johann Tasker of the Farmer's Weekly writes about how the RSPCA backs farmers on milk prices (by me 4 @FarmersWeekly) he writes, "The RSPCA is urging shoppers to avoid cut-price milk sold by supermarkets, warning that it could have a knock-on effect on cow welfare" more can be read at Johann's article found here.  #SOSdairy
• So if you wish to do something, when choosing to buy your milk and other dairy products, look for either your local dairy and support the local shop or when buying from a supermarket choose the ones who support the dairy sector - these are M&S, Sainsburys, Tesco and Waitrose are praised for paying above the cost of production.
• The Farmer's Weekly have a dedicated micro website for the dairy crisis and this can be found here. 
•  Alistair Driver from the Farmer's Guardian reports in his blog that Jim Paice MP was ridiculed publicly but #SOSdairy lines up bigger targets for August, have a read of Alistair's blog if you didn't catch the summary.

What else can you do:

• Follow the  #SOSdairy on comments in Twitter.
• Print off the poster prints from the NFU and stick on a car window if it doesn't obliterate the driver's vision or put it up on your wall on Facebook, the print can be found here - 
• Buy your milk from local dairies or from M&S, Sainsburys, Tesco, or Waitrose.
• Write to your MP, the dairy produce processor and the supermarkets - the Farmer's Guardian does a very good page on what to write and who to write to but you may have to give your email and subscribe (freely, I think), the page link can be found here.

Have a good rest of the Friday the 13th.

Dairy Crisis Update - 11th of July 2012

Not an exhaustive summary of the information from the Dairy Crisis Summit - 11th of July 2012. The information below is taken from my Facebook account, the Twitter stream of @Eurolinkseas and linked publications.

 

We pay more for a bottle of water than a pint of milk. Stop UK dairy farmers becoming extinct by supporting fair UK trade #sosdairy

The summit is packed and overflowing with dairy farmers... therefore a short delay to the start of the meeting while we find rooms for people

Only 22% of people know the price of milk - you're in the majority, Meurig quips to farm minister Jim Paice #sosdairy

One farmer's story is highlighted here - http://www.farmersguardian.com/news/livestock/dairy-farmers-descend-on-london-united-in-protest/48248.article #sosdairy

Sainsburys, Tesco, M&S and Waitrose praised for paying above the cost of production #sosdair 

Asda, Morrisons and the Co-op pointed out by Meurig for paying below the cost of production #sosdairy  

The above photo shows Nick Everington of @theRABDF explaining who gets the cream from your milk.

A clearer picture of the previous photo, with thanks to Twitter and Malc Parr ‏@tractorman07

and @peter_levy "I'm not a dairy farmer but think this picture sums up the problem of milk and food in general."

Retailers must stop buying milk from processors who pay less than the costs of production to dairy farmers - MR #sosdairy




We want consumers to ask those that are buying the milk: Are you paying a fair price? #sosdairy 

"The buy one get one free government" #SOSDairy


Turning grass into milk - a BBC report - and lose money doing it.


‎"I believe the dairy industry has a huge amount to offer the British economy" - Jim Paice #sosdairy


Minister Jim Paice: Voluntary Code of Practice better than compulsory contract under EU reg. Also gives chance for review. 
But he is now being heckled...#sosdairy

Jim Paice has just made himself very unpopular. Questioning that dairy farmers have not done enough to control their input costs! #sosdairy


Jim Paice asks 'Are you sure, you have done everything to reduce production costs?', the comment was not popular #sosdairy

Jim Paice - every part of dairy chain has responsibility to take advantage of opportunities #sosdairy

FLASH: Jim Paice confirms that government will "make money available" to help farmers create producer organisations. #SOSdairy

Wisemans p'ship(?) board member says must negotiate fair price and set minimum or less responsible retailers will depress price #SOSdairy

Derbyshire's Barry Smith, agriculture is the life and soul of this country. If it is doing badly the whole country is doing badly #sosdairy

#SOSdairy Questions - why does Germany have 190 producer organisations and we have how many? Are we missing a trick and profit?

Scottish view: If you're not happy resign from your processor and don't sign any more silly contracts. #SOSdairy

#SOSdairy Don't sign with a processor who does not adhere to code of practice.

Farm minister Jim Paice: voluntary code means can't set statutory minimum price. Can't answer questions on retailer margins but supermarkets are taking bigger and bigger shares.

"It isn't going to happen overnight," Jim Paice tells farmer who asked how long he would have to work all hours. But hopes today could speed things along

#SOSdairy W Sussex #NFU's Gwyn Jones: least you can do is legislate immediately unless this vol code is sorted very soon - hours not days

Huge cheer for Gwyn Jones as he attacks dairy execs and compares events in banking sector with those in dairy industry. #sosdairy

"How do you want to be remembered Minister? As the doctor who made things better (in #ag) or the undertaker?" #SOSDairy

Minister challenged on timescale for code, reminded that code is a great start but will it deliver Code of Practice at least? #sosdairy

#SOSdairy Minister Jim Paice: committed to consult chain on EU dairy package and power to impose compulsory contracts, but not his preferred option

#SOSdairy Jim Paice says content of vol code up to farmers, price mechanism will be part of it, groups of farmers should work together

VIDEO: Farmers explain what they hope to achieve from attending milk summit #sosdairy

#SOSdairy William Westacott from #Kent - we have 20 days, we need some guidance on how to reverse these cuts

View from floor: we must convince the consumer to back the farmer. Praise for dedicated contracts #SOSdairy

Many views - but farmers mean business. what sanctions will be imposed on processors and retailers if code not agreed? #SOSdairy

#SOSdairy Trending HIGH in the UK. People do care where the milk for there brew comes from! Good news! Keep caring!

Family dairy farmer from #Devon thanks #NFU for organising and challenges Minister to toughen the code asap

Question from the floor: where is the representative of the supermarkets today? #sosdairy

Minister Jim Paice: Voluntary code must happen soon. Will consult on compulsory code in EU package, allowing Purchasing Organistaions to have 1/3 of production in member state

Meurig Raymond thanks 2,500 for giving strong message to retailers, processors and consumers. We cannot afford to lose UK industry #SOSdairy

M Raymond: #NFU will do all it can to reverse cuts and will leave no stone unturned. Reps must take this message back to processors.

M Raymond hopes the "Voluntary Code can come soon but reserves the right to demand legislation. Urges folk to sign Producer Organisation forms #SOSdairy

Red Tractor Dairy farmer's across the UK, gather at Westminster today to demand a fairer price for milk. Ensure you support them by looking out for the Red Tractor logo with the Union Jack on your milk, cheese, cream and yogurts!

The Speech by Meurig Raymond at Dairy Summit 11th July 2012 can be found here.  

Farmer's Weekly have a gallery from the day's proceedings here.

@FARMERS4ACTION

Disappointed that attendees at Summit not invited to question panel and no concrete plans for 1 Aug

Paice under fire as industry unites in anger | News | Farmers Guardian: http://bit.ly/O6Df3J #sosdairy

Thanks to all the people and groups I follow on Twitter, these can be found here.

Is Great Britain in a dairy crisis?

It can be said that the dairy farms and their industry has contributed to the green fields image of the British countryside and the industry is a major player in Britain's industrial profile. The National Farmer's Union (NFU) records "12,500 dairy farmers in Great Britain, milking 1.56 million dairy cows and producing more than 11.5 billion litres of raw milk".

The Farmers Weekly reported that over 500 milk producers "heard calls for direct action over dairy prices during a heated meeting at the Staffordshire Showground on Wednesday (4 July)" at Staffordshire Showground after four major dairy and milk processors dropped the milk price up to 2 pence per litre. Ian Potter Associates has reported that the proposed price increase of 0.26 pence per litre for suppliers of liquid milk to Sainsburys from the 1st of July and it also reported the proposed decreases (from the 1st of August) of 1.65 pence per litre from Dairy Crest/DCD liquid suppliers and 2 pence per litre from Arla/AFMP suppliers.

On the fifth of July, a meeting is to take place between the NFU president, Peter Kendall, and Farmers for Action chairman, David Handley, to solve the current problems that are crippling today's dairy industry. The NFU reports that these problems include the latest round of price cuts from Robert Wiseman Dairies, Arla Foods UK and Dairy Crest.

The Grocery Industry Trade Communications site records 50 dairies, milk, yoghurt and egg manufacturers and suppliers.

The Farmers for Action group report today (5/7/2012) that "all milk processors to reinstate all price cuts that have taken place since 1st of April 2012" and "They have until 1 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." These proposed milk prices and potential action may have short term effects for the Olympic Games and long term effects for the consumer and the milk producers.

London Business Network records that the Olympic Village for London 2012 will require 75,000 litres of milk and reports that "London 2012 is committed to being the most sustainable Games to date.  Their Food Vision reflects this policy in a number of ways, in particular around product sourcing standards and waste management procedures. All food sourced will be required to meet benchmark standards which include Red Tractor Assured, Lion Mark free range, RSPCA Freedom Food Certified, Fairtrade and British where applicable.  London 2012 has also set aspirational standards, such as LEAF Marque and Organic, which it hopes to achieve where these are available and affordable." 

Please let me know your thoughts whether you are a producer or a consumer of milk and milk-related products.