The dairy price downturn continues as over 700 dairy cattle belonging to a large farm in Pembrokeshire are to be sold after 40 years in operation.
Frederick Hiam Ltd is a family owned farming business with a long history going back over 100 years.
"Very sad day for us as we announce our withdrawal from dairy farming after 40 years," they announced.
Broadmoor Farm is located in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park while Corston Farm is just outside the National Park. They are both dairy farms with a total area of 1300 acres, supporting over 700 milking cows and followers.
A spokesman for the company said: "Over the years the dairy herds have performed very well producing high milk yields at competitive cost but the downturn in farmgate prices over the past two years coupled with a depressing medium to long term outlook for dairy farming forced the business to look very carefully at the prospects for the sector.
Company chairman Christopher Wilson said: "My family has been farming in eastern England for four generations, well over 100 years, and for two generations in Wales and it is sad for us that we are leaving Wales but we cannot ignore the market place.
"Despite our best efforts we have reluctantly concluded that we cannot continue under these circumstances."
The sustained low milk prices and ever changing weather conditions are already impacting milk production.
Report into state of Welsh dairy launched
A report on the current state of the Welsh dairy sector has been launched by the Farmers’ Union of Wales in order to identify the main issues affecting the sector.
The FUW’s Milk and Dairy Produce Committee Chairman, Rhydian Owen, said: "The Welsh dairy industry continues to reel under months of continuing low prices and poor profitability and almost half of dairy farmers in Britain have stated an intention to quit the sector.
"The FUW is extremely concerned that any sign of a price recovery may still be some way into the future due to a continuing global supply and demand imbalance.
"We have now sent a synopsis of the main issues contributing to the current dairy sector crisis to local MPs, MEPs and will be distributing this information further to the newly elected Welsh Assembly members."
