Milk protestors blockade Wiseman plant

AN ESTIMATED 300 dairy farmers are taking part in a second night of action at the Robert Wiseman plant in Droitwich over the price they are paid for milk.

The protestors are part of more than 2,000 farmers in the Midlands who have staged a series of blockades at milk processing plants since Thursday.

The action has been taken by campaign group Farmers for Action (FFA) who are angry at the prices some supermarkets pay suppliers.

A proposed cut of two pence per litre in the amount farmers receive from major milk processors is set to come into force from next Wednesday (August 1).

The FFA claims that those cuts in the prices paid to suppliers by dairy processors, combined with rising feed costs, could force hundreds of dairy farmers out of

business

Action at the Wiseman plant is being mirrored at sites in Bridgewater in Somerset and in Shropshire and the protests have also taken place at sites in Yorkshire and Leicestershire.

Town MP Peter Luff told The Standard that as long as the protests remained peaceful and within the law, they would have his full support.

He said: “We should all be really concerned about the future of dairy farming. For a long time big retailers have exploited farmers by paying prices that are just too low.

“It is in all our interests, farmers, consumers and supermarkets that these unsustainable and short sighted policies are abandoned.

“Farmers are being asked to make losses while the supermarket and other industry giants make large profits.

“I support the demands of farmers and hope that the retail giants give farmers the fair deal they deserve. I'm glad that the government is bringing in the supermarket ombudsman but it would be better if the dairies and supermarkets backed off now and gave farmers the price they need and to which they are

fully entitled,” he added.

Government ministers will meet dairy farmers on Monday (July 23) to discuss the industry's future.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and farming minister Jim Paice are set to meet farmers at the Royal Welsh Show in mid Wales.

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