Dairy: Our Face-To-Face Talks With MPs
UK - It’s time to back our dairy farmers – that’s the message the NFU will be taking to Westminster when it holds face-to-face talks with MPs to address its concerns over the UK dairy industry.
12 May 2011
2 minute read
Politicians from all parties will be joined at the House of Lords next week (Tuesday May 17) by NFU President Peter Kendall, national dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond and Lord Plumb of Coleshill to hear why it’s important the government takes action to eliminate unfair commercial practices and create a brighter future for the British dairy industry.
The discussions will also focus on why the UK dairy market isn’t working in its present state, how contracts must be improved and the importance of the EU dairy package.
As part of the NFU’s lobbying efforts, advertisements have been placed in trade and political publications including House and Totally Politics magazines while a giant promotional billboard is on display at Westminster tube station.
National dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond believes MPs have a part to play in highlighting the issues to galvanise support for change.
“This meeting gives us the ideal opportunity to tell MPs from all sides of the political spectrum about the overwhelming amount of evidence out there which suggests that the dairy supply chain is not working properly and what needs to be done to turn things around,” he said.
“We will be focussing on the big problem of one-sided milk contracts and explaining why they don’t offer any certainty or clarity for dairy farmers and how new EU proposals could make a real difference to the way dairy farmers sell their milk and negotiate with milk buyers.
“Unless action is taken, the consequences of this situation could lead to a fall in milk production, lower levels of investment on British dairy farms and more and more farmers leaving the industry. The message to MP’s will be loud and clear - it’s time to back our dairy farmers.”
TheCattleSite News Desk
