Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by Malcolm Ronald, Milk Producer (L8)

  As a milk producer in the Southern Isles Ring Fence area I would like to make the following points to your enquiry:

  1.  The plight find themselves in is a direct result of the abolition of the Milk Marketing Boards, by the previous government (Conservative). Milk processors and supermarkets now control milk supplies and the result is an ever diminishing share of the value of milk and dairy products to the milk producer.

  2.  As a result of demonstrations by farmers during the last year, supermarkets increased the price of liquid milk and cheese "supposedly" to enable the farmer to receive a price increase. Unfortunately very little reached the farmer. This cynical profiteering should be stopped and a way found to ensure dairy farmers receive a fair share of the value of what they produce.

  3.  One of the present government slogans is "A Fairer Britain", but how can it be fair that farming families have to work longer and harder, meeting ever more stagnant farm assurance standards, yet receiving hardly any award, whilst processors and supermarkets eg Dairycrest, Robert Wisemans, Graham's Dairys and Tescos, all announce record increases in profit?

January 2004


 
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