Farmers For Action to stage a second protest tomorrow due to unfair prices

Farmers for Action Chairman David Handley says farmers are not receiving benefits of higher prices
Farmers for Action Chairman David Handley says farmers are not receiving benefits of higher prices

Hundreds of members of Farmers For Action are expected to attend a protest tomorrow (11 August) due to Muller's September milk prices.

The group's first rally took part on Sunday 7 August, as part of its campaign to ensure dairy farmers get their fair share of the recent increase in milk prices.

After two years of declines, the global value of milk has finally begun to turn around.

But David Handley, of Farmers for Action, said higher milk prices are not being passed down to producers, he urged members to assemble yesterday to protest.

"While Muller's benign Farmer Board sit back and accept no price increase for September, farmers and farmworkers seek record amounts of monies from charities.

"RABI in Wales paid out £60,000 to hard up farmers and farmworkers in the months Jan to July 2016, an increase of 84% on same period last year, yet Muller's management continue to drive around in their Range Rovers, BMWs and Mercedes.

"This is a disgrace in 2016. The company shows no corporate responsibility or any respect for their hard working non aligned producers.

"We now need to inform the consumer head on, that this brand sends its producers to the charity queue."

Muller and its September milk price

The protest on 7 August and tomorrow is a result of dairy farmers urging Muller to increase its September milk prices.

The NFU called on Müller to explain why the company is not increasing it in line with 'extremely positive' market signals for UK milk prices to its suppliers.

It has led the the union to condemn the decision, which it says is "beggars belief".

"Yes, its farmgate milk price remains competitive but this is only due to the continuing support of retailers with their minimum farmgate pricing mechanism, currently paying around 3ppl," said NFU dairy board chairman Michael Oakes.

He said that Müller’s non-aligned suppliers – estimated at around a third of its 1,900 farmer suppliers – would be frustrated that they were not seeing the benefits of a market that was starting to experience positive price movements after two years of downturn.