APPENDIX 22
Letter to James Gray MP from Mr J M C
Jones
Over the past two years I have made a loss. Calves
are selling for as little as £2 for beef heifer calves. Beef
steers are down to half what they were. Cull cows and in-calf
heifers are down by approximately half.
Milk Price—Dairy company's so strong that Milk
Marque, who are restricted over doing their own producing of liquid
milk into cheese, butter, yoghurt, etc., cannot compete. The price
of milk has dropped up to 8p per litre over the last 3 to 4 years.
To combat this expansion is necessary. More quota has to be leased
in at approximately 8/10p per litre, half the mile price. Mainly
this money goes to non-producing quota holders.
Problem if quota took away from these people: where
will quota be leased from? New entrants to farming who save lease
by quota and rent or buy land, will find it difficult or impossible;
thus starving the industry of new blood.
If quotas are done away with the market will be flooded
with extra milk, like the pig industry, prices will go through
the floor.
17 June 1999
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