Ministers must act now, says union

FARMERS yesterday demanded help to cope with having to throw away milk, collapsing meat prices and crops being left to rot in the fields.

Industry leaders claim food producers have been left out of the Government’s coronavirus rescue efforts.

The National Farmers’ Union held emergency talks with Environment Secretary George Eustice yesterday to discuss the crisis in the dairy industry.

Stark images have emerged of farmers forced to throw away gallons of fresh milk, largely because coffee shops, restaurants

and the wider food service industry has been shut down. This same issue means there has been a collapse in demand for prime cuts of beef, including high value steaks and roasting joints, and lamb, which is normally a huge seller at Easter.

Beef farmers are getting less for carcasses and the National Sheep Association said lamb was down by £50 a head.

Vegetable, fresh produce and fruit growers warn the loss of workers from Europe

means there is a real risk crops will rot. Industry trade body Dairy UK wrote an urgent letter to Mr Eustice a week ago asking for help. His department, Defra, said it was looking at support measures.

It asked the Government to buy surplus milk under a market support regime that was originally drawn up by the EU.

Surplus fresh milk can be diverted to longer life products such as butter, cheese, UHT milk and milk powder. However, prices are lower and this system is at capacity.

NFU president Minette Batters said: ‘For weeks now, we have been flagging to government in our daily calls the issues within the dairy sector and working with Defra to try and find solutions. But the situation is becoming untenable.

‘There may be at least 2,000 dairy farmers suffering severe financial pressure and that number is growing by the day.’

Mr Eustice said the talks were constructive and farmers could take advantage of business loans of up to £3million being made available by the Treasury.

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HOW is it possible that as some supermarkets are experiencing a shortage of milk, dairy farmers are throwing millions of pints down the drain because they can’t find a market?

All farmers are suffering a collapse in demand as the restaurant, hospitality and coffee shop trades disappear.

So rather than allowing this indispensable industry to crumble, joined-up thinking is needed from Government.

Smarter supply chains must be created to connect excess supplies to those who need them, pressure put on wholesalers not to crush margins and banks made to show forbearance over loan repayments.

When this crisis is over, we will need our domestic food industry more than ever. If it is to survive intact, an effective rescue strategy must be put in place without delay.