Author Topic: Milk Price Protest (Read 3249 times)

Marches Farmer · « **on:** August 13, 2015, 04:07:41 pm »

Check out farming.co.uk/news/article/11552 for footage of the farmer who took two dairy heifers for a walk through Asda after the manager told him that farmers got enough for their milk. I wonder how long Asda would last if they had no choice but to sell food at less than the cost of production? The old chestnut is that only the most efficient dairy farms will survive but for the bean-counters this always means economies of scale. I see China is building a 100,000-cow dairy unit to supply Russia. Is this what farming is ging to be like in the future ....?

Womble · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2015, 04:58:08 pm »

Yes

Me · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2015, 08:00:29 pm »

Farmers will not stand together, they compete to cross a picket the fastest, kill in Scotland and England went UP in No Lamb Week!

pgkevet · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2015, 06:19:38 am »

The whole business of farm subsidies and grants is a mystery to me. I don't see subsidised bricklayers or subsidised accountants anywhere. It's part of the global and european trade fixes (as anyone paranoid about conspiracy theory would know).
The price is down because there's too much milk hence dairy farmers go under - that's the capitalist way

verdifish · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2015, 08:39:03 am »

100's of oil workers are being layer off daily but you don't see them blockading petrol stations or being subsidised by the European union.this is a problem of there own making, when the quotas were lifted a lot doubled and tripled production creating to much which pushed the price down. The suoermarkets didn't force them to do this.

pharnorth · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2015, 08:59:44 am »

Well there are some poor guys out there that love their herd and get up at silly o clock each morning to get the job done. They can't work out how to plan a stock level when capitalism means letting them sink one year but strategic subsidies mean they are over encouraged another year. Government is all about interfering with market forces, there is little need for it otherwise. But their job is to do it gently, with as little harm as possible. In this case it is too aggressive

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** August 14, 2015, 09:20:32 am »

Single Farm Payment was introduced to increase UK production after the war years. It now has an element of "greening" to satisfy the EU. This prevents me ploughing up to the hedges to maximise the productivity of the land and felling 50 ancient oak trees because grass grows sparsely in their shade. Food is incredibly cheap and a much smaller percentage of the family spend than before the last war. The Government thinks, probably rightly, that the UK population wouldn't wear a 300-400% increase in its food bill, so is locked into subsidies. The dairy farmer, because of the way milk is bought and sold, is very vulnerable to world market forces and supermarket strong arm tactics. The world dairy price is depressed at present, due to slowing growth in China and a Russian embargo on food from the West. Dairying is so long term - you buy a bull today and his daughters won't produce milk for nearly three years. People who areworking a 14/7 week are not best placed to organise a milk marketing revolution. The NFU should be fighting the battle but .....

verdifish · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2015, 09:35:40 am »

Nfu fight for farmers! Don't make me larf. Spineless wonders with little idea about the realities of modern farming! when did the Nfu last do something that's has had a 100% positive outcome for farmers???

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2015, 10:39:13 am »

Quote from: pgkevet on August 14, 2015, 06:19:38 am

The whole business of farm subsidies and grants is a mystery to me. I don't see subsidised bricklayers or subsidised accountants anywhere. It's part of the global and european trade fixes (as anyone paranoid about conspiracy theory would know).
The price is down because there's too much milk hence dairy farmers go under - that's the capitalist way

Yeah, so when we're asked if we want to stay in the European Union later this year...

pgkevet · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2015, 11:40:49 am »

Quote from: SallyintNorth on August 14, 2015, 10:39:13 am

Yeah, so when we're asked if we want to stay in the European Union later this year...

I'm for getting out of europe...it'll make life much more interesting. Sadly we'll still be manipulated by 'big business' and 'self interest' and worse the layers of unnecessary beaurocracy that keeps itsef alive. At least we'll be a few MEPS less on the gravy train

A reality is that here we have far more than we really need but modern capitalism relies on inflation and folk buying cr[member=36627]P[/member] they don't need to fuel an economy of waste. At the simplest level one can buy and electric kettle for a fiver..less than an hour on minimum wage.. that comes in a box that probably would cost over a £1 to buy. Someone is making a profit, somewhere out of having made this kettle which with the profit trail and taxes and transport costs and transit packaging costs values the cost of making that kettle somewhere a long way under £1 - which we all know is impossible. It's raped the planet to make it, it's never going to be repaired and will be dumped inside 3 years. It's an unsustainable model.