The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has completed a survey among dairy farmers revealing that nationally they are owed more than £270m a year in loss of earnings on their milk production.

They have launched a campaign for fairer prices with local farmers backing them, including Glaisdale's Martin Burtt, chairman of the North-East NFU Dairy Board.

The campaign was launched at Milton Keynes at the site of the town's concrete cows art feature.

Mr Burtt told the Whitby Gazette: "By 2015 there will only be concrete cows unless we get fair prices.

"Increasing numbers of dairy farmers are getting out of the industry and it's not just those with small herds but the large, efficient producers as well.
"We are now getting 16 to 17 pence a litre for milk when realistically it should be 21.5p a litre.

"As a result of the survey we now have positive evidence to show just how much we're losing.

"It's up to the NFU to make demands for an increase."

Source: Whitby Today