Fair Deal Campaign
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Recent Posts
- Paving the way for the factory dairy?
- Does Dairy UK represent the interests of dairy farmers or the IDF?
- Dairy farmers should see at least 35p/l as a stepping stone towards the true cost of production calculated for European Milk Board
- Nick Holt-Martyn: it would be “criminal” for retailers not to return more of their gross margin down the supply chain to farmers
- 4. Farmers for Action and the NFU
Fair Deal Council Members
Letters to the press
- British dairy industry in danger: Ian O’Reilly 2011
- Cut price milk? Hardly Fair Trade: Kathleen Calvert, 2011
- Dairy farming problems hit jobs: Dugdale Nutrition
- Electronic tagging of sheep: John Wilson
- Fair retail margin & formula needed to establish minimum price: Kathleen Calvert
- Fair trade for British food producers: B. Panvel
- A refusal to buy cheap milk may now be the only answer: Kathleen Calvert
- The level of discounting in supermarkets is crippling this industry: Ian O’Reilly
- Why farming needs subsidies: Sir Eric Howells
- Why shouldn’t the Fairtrade principle be applied to all food producers? B. Panvel
Fair Deal Food Campaign
‘Time to fix Broken Agriculture’
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FFA continues to protest and also to negotiate about many other commodity prices at EU level
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Almost 100 farmers turned out yesterday supporting continuing protests by Farmers For Action at Asda-Walmart in Omagh.
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Politicians including SDLP MLA Agriculture representative Mr Joe Byrne and Councillor Bert Wilson were present while FFA members gave out leaflets to shoppers leaving Asda-Walmart asking them to shop at their local family owned supermarket, butchers, bakers and farmers market, until Asda change practice and:
- agree to pay all dairy produce they buy directly or indirectly across these islands at a minimum of 30p/l+ returned to the farmer as a first step
- then lead up to 40p/l, being the European Milk Board’s cost of production figure inflation linked plus a margin.
Many beef, sheep and pig farmers were present, comforted by the knowledge that though the main thrust of protests are about milk, to keep up the momentum gathered in GB, William Taylor, FFA NI co-ordinator has made it clear that much urgent work was and is being done behind the scenes from here to Brussels on virtually all other commodities, with progress expected imminently.
He went on to say it is becoming increasingly clear that in many sectors the banks have said no to increasing overdrafts which in turn has put real pressure on many family farmers in Northern Ireland. In a week where sadly another NI farmer has lost his life in the UK’s most dangerous industry largely due to being a cash strapped industry, it is clear where much of the blame lies, large supermarkets, large food retailers and large food wholesalers – profits up, while farm gate prices go down and farm accidents go up.
The time has come to fix Broken Agriculture and collectively politicians from here to Brussels must play their part with urgent commonsense solutions already in their possessions, but not acted on, put into operation.
The protests will continue, next Thursday night (23rd) in Enniskillen Asda-Walmart. Those farmers wishing to offer much needed support – just come along, bring your neighbours or contact 07909744624 or 07754475564 for details.
Meanwhile, FFA are waiting until Monday for a response from United Dairy Farmers, where FFA have requested a meeting with the UDF board before next Thursday’s August milk auction.
56 Cashel Road, Macosquin, Coleraine, Co L’derry, N Ireland, BT51 4NU
Tel. 028 703 53579 / 028 703 43534 Fax 028 703 43419
Email taylor.w@btconnect.com
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