Editorial: Glimmers of Hope in Milk Price Crisis

Assistance is starting to come to dairy farmers around the world in the midst of the latest crisis in global prices.

In Australia, Tasmanian farmers are being given the opportunity to meet with federal representatives to plead their cause.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said he had asked the representatives to travel to the north west of Tasmania to discuss existing assistance measures and how they can help farmers.

The team will meet with farmers and dairy industry representatives to talk about the range of hardships facing farmers in the region.

In the USA, California Senator Dianne Feinstein led a bipartisan coalition of seven other Senators and 16 Representatives from states with the largest dairies urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to fairly distribute $350 million in federal dairy relief and avoid regional bias.

And in the UK, the strengthening of the world dairy market has been welcomed by Ulster Farmers' Union Dairy Policy Chairman William Cromie.

With whole milk powder now $164 a tonne higher than in September, the price increase is equivalent to about 2p a litre to the farmers in the UK.

Meanwhile, an initial report by the TB eradication group in the UK has been welcomed by the farming community, who are starting to see some action to contain the spread of the disease.

Chris Harris

This Week's Feature Articles

Company News

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health announces sponsorship supporting milk producers in Malawi
MALAWI - A multi-year sponsorship project, supporting the Shire Highlands Milk Producers Association (SHMPA) in Malawi, a developing country in southeast Africa, has been initiated by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health.

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Bovine Reproduction Congress in Colombia
COLOMBIA - Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health recently organised the Second International Congress of Bovine Reproduction in Bogotá, Colombia.

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Global Dairy Cattle Industry News

United States

 » New Humane Training Programme for Animal Handlers
 » US Climate Change Bill Fails To Involve Agriculture
 » Weekly US Cattle Outlook
 » Producing More Milk Reduces Fertility
 » New Bill Expected to Provide Aid to Dairy Sector
 » Dairy Farmers Cheated by Processors
 » CME: Lowered Prices Pressure Beef Demand
 » Weekly Outlook: Early Corn and Soybean Exports
 » Weekly Roberts Report
 » New Product to Battle Lepto
 » Making the Most of Dairy Nutrition
 » CME: Output Numbers Will Not Drive Feed Prices
 » Bovine Lactoferrin Reduces Infection in Babies
 » US Dairy Industry To Receive Financial Support
 » Fair Distribution of Federal Dairy Relief Urged

United Kingdom

 » Warning from MEPs Regarding EU Transport Rules
 » Liver Fluke Threatens Cattle Welfare
 » Farmers Should Demand Milk Price Increases
 » United Kingdom Milk Prices And Composition Of Milk
 » South Korea Reopens to British Pork
 » Survey Shows I&PS's Are Here To Stay
 » Cull Cow Market Increases
 » Is Moist Feed Cost Effective?
 » TB Eradication Group to Provide More Support
 » World Dairy Market Strenghtening Welcomed

General

 » CGF and DDGS Bode Well as Animal Feed Ingredient
 » First Round on Agriculture ‘Templates’ Completed

European Union

 » Milk to Fight Against Obesity
 » EU Fails to Make Decisions to Save Dairy Industry

Australia

 » Daily Livestock Report
 » Zinc Slurry Leak Threatens Grazing Cattle
 » Tasmanian Dairy Farmers to Meet Government

Zimbabwe

 » Nestle Stops Buying Mugabe Milk

Kenya

 » Ministry Stops Buying Cattle

China

 » China a Promising Market for Food Safety Products?

New Zealand

 » Survey to Look at Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

Canada

 » Canadian Govt Invests in Farm Animal Care

Ireland

 » Ireland Establishes Dairy Consultative Group

That's all for this week!

Ed.