Dairy farmers warn MPs of crisis
A delegation of dairy farmers from across Yorkshire and the North East have headed to Westminster to highlight the crisis facing the sector and seek the support of MPs.
Ten farmers, representing the number currently leaving the industry every week, made the trip as part of the ongoing campaign by the NFU to achieve a more secure future for remaining producers - 931 of whom farm in Northumberland, County Durham and Yorkshire.
A key problem for many dairy farmers is that current milk contracts offer no certainty or clarity on the price they will be paid for their milk from one month to the next. What's more, many are locked into contracts for anything up to a year with no way out even if the price they receive is cut.
This, says York farmer and chairman of the NFU’s regional dairy board David Shaw, puts an intolerable stranglehold on producers.
"This is a problem that for too long has effectively forced dairy farmers out of business," he said. "But there is now some hope on the horizon and that's why we are urging MPs to take urgent action."
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
