NFU Cymru meets Defra Farm Minister to urge for action to help Welsh dairy farmers

Ahead of next week’s Welsh Dairy Event, representatives from NFU Cymru have met with Defra Farm Minister, George Eustice, to urge for action to help dairy farmers through the continuing market downturn.

Although some green shoots are appearing in the dairy market following four positive global dairy trade auctions and new announcements from a number of retailers on dairy prices, NFU Cymru, along with NFU Scotland, the NFU and the Ulster Farmers Union met the Defra Farm Minister this week to explain that the crisis is far from over.

This winter will be extremely challenging for farmers and the Unions highlighted that this will be a concern not just for dairy producers but the allied industries whose businesses rely on the dairy sector.

With the Rural Payments Agency in England responsible for the delivery of the EU dairy fund, Aled Jones, NFU Cymru Milk Board Chairman along with his compatriots from NFU, NFUS and the UFU asked that this money be made available to the industry as soon as possible. Mr Eustice provided reassurance that Defra is working closely with the RPA to ensure quick payment of the EU dairy crisis fund.

Speaking after the meeting Aled Jones said, “Whilst our immediate aim must be to help the industry through this current cash flow crisis we must make sure that governments in Wales, Westminster and Europe look to make use of all the potential tools available to make sure we don’t find ourselves in this position again.

“In our meeting we asked the Minister to further investigate using the European Investment Bank to support farmers and processors in the UK, as well as pushing for action on the High Level Group on Risk Management. We also want to ensure that EU dairy market management measures are fit for purpose, this should include a review of the EU intervention scheme.”

Mr Jones continued, “Closer to home, it’s good news that Defra is planning to improve procurement policies within government departments and across the public sector. We firmly believe that much greater emphasis should be placed on ensuring high quality British produce is made available in our schools, hospitals and by the MOD.

“On supply chain issues all the farming unions were agreed that we need to redouble our efforts to ensure all milk buyers adhere to the voluntary code of conduct on contracts and encourage more farmer collaboration through producer groups and producer organisations.

Mr Jones concluded, “On a wider scale we also called for the Groceries Code Adjudicator to be given more power to investigate further than the ten largest UK retailers.”