Milk cheque just vanished like a magician’s trick

THE herd have all calved by now and as I write have peaked at 30 litres (2.4 kg milk solids) per day at grass. It won’t last for long, but I’ll boast while I can. There is just enough grass in front of the cows for the second grazing cycle but with the weather being dry and cold at nights (I’m still putting the electric blanket on), we will keep the feed going at 6kg for a while longer.

All the replacement heifers have now been weaned and have access to pasture as well as feed and hay, and the shed when it’s a bit rough. You may think all looks great, and while it does feel fantastic when the buyers are at last rising the milk prices to 40p for May, I’ve just written a cheque for the feed, fertiliser and red diesel for March, and I thought I’d just paid for a sea view flat in Tenby! The milk cheque just vanished like a magician’s trick.

AHDB are predicting that milk volumes will show a slight decline compared to previous years and surely this should keep milk prices at all-time highs. But with this awful war in the Ukraine and the hangover of Covid-19 supply chain chaos, costs will be at all-time highs also. I just hope that the supply chain understands that if they want the product, then they must ensure that their suppliers are able to receive a sustainable price for their produce.

It only takes one thing to happen in this world of globalisation, whether it’s a ship stuck in a canal or the head of state invading a sovereign country and our lives change.

Before any of these things had happened, it has been concerning to see policies that could see the destocking of Welsh livestock farms through tree planting on productive food producing land.

We also continue to see our government’s failure to address the reservoir of TB in our wildlife wreaking havoc on our Cattle herd. NFU Cymru have been arguing vehemently for policies that support a productive and progressive farming industry against for years, offering practical and reasonable solutions to today’s issues based on science and common business sense, that would deliver the outcomes required for the environment and feed our population in a carbon neutral way.

Now we have raging inflation on all aspects of our life, let us hope that our government will look to policies that support Welsh farmers to be able to continue to produce high quality, affordable food for all in society. It is heart-breaking when we hear of people who may have to make a choice this winter of eating or heating their home, the rise of food banks, or children only having a nutritious meal at school.

NFU Cymru has consistently advised government on how to deliver a robust, sustainable food policy to feed locally and all our nation.

It is with great sadness that it has taken the actions of a war hungry leader for government to understand how fragile our food supply chain is and should be prioritised with caring respect.