Beef producers air frustrations

Beef producers from across Derbyshire met last night (Monday 3 October) to discuss the current market situation and to air their frustrations at the low prices they are receiving at the farm gate.

NFU East Midlands' livestock board chairman, Phil Abbott was present to discuss the issues with producers. He said:

"Farmers are facing a difficult future this winter because the economics of producing beef currently don't add up. Consumers are paying a good price for the beef that they eat, but sadly the producer at the bottom of the chain isn't sharing in the profits from the food chain."

The meeting, the Derbyshire and Staffordshire LFA (Less Favoured Areas) committee, held at the Blue Bell, Tissington, heard that the current price paid to beef producers for rearing beef is simply too low to be sustainable. Farmers are producing top quality beef in a high cost production system; a great deal of care and attention is paid to the animals' well being and to preserving the special environment of the uplands.

"Somewhere between the supermarkets' retail price and the price paid to farmers, there is money in the food chain," continued Mr Abbott. "The farming industry should be asking for more of that money to come back to the producer, otherwise many of our upland producers could be facing real financial difficulties."

Also attending the meeting was Will Cockbain, the NFU's national LFA spokesman. He said: "The NFU's on-going campaign aims to highlight to the Government that farmers are the caretakers of the countryside that millions of tourists flock to visit. All this could be lost if farmers are forced out of business."