NFU meets with MEP ahead of EU dairy vote

NFU Cymru officials have met with Jill Evans MEP to explain the views of Welsh dairy farmers ahead of an important vote on the European Commision’s Dairy Package next week by the European Parliament Agriculture Cttee.

Stephen James, NFU Cymru Deputy President, met Jill Evans MEP on the dairy farm of the Union’s Dairy Board Vice Chairman, John Lougher, near Bridgend, for her to hear and see first-hand the difficulties facing Welsh dairy farmers.

Stephen James said, "We recognise that not all the answers to our problems lie with politicians and that some of the problems are commercial in nature for which commercial solutions exist: it is for farmers and their representatives to sort these issues out with their milk buyers. However, MEPs like Jill Evans can help by ensuring that the European Commission proposals to help improve the contractual relationship between farmers and their milk buyers are agreed and implemented across Europe.

"Potentially we have a package of measures that if approved by the European institutions, can literally be ’taken off the shelf’ and used in Wales to help deliver a fair and functioning market. It will be a massively disappointing setback if we let this chance slip."

Mr James continued, "We must then ensure that the commission package, if agreed in Europe, is implemented fully in Wales, and to do this we need to make sure that member states are not given the opportunity to ’pick and choose’ what they want to use out of this package."

John Lougher added, "We have a ’once in a generation’ opportunity to bring some fairness and transparency to the milk supply chain. For the future of milk production in Wales, we can’t afford to let this chance pass us by."

Jill Evans said, "Welsh dairy farmers possess many distinct advantages, in particular we have some the most efficient producers in the world and a favourable climate for producing milk. It is important that this package is agreed in Brussels and implemented in Wales to help ensure that our farmers have a fair price for their product."