Dairy farmers deserve full support of Grocery Watchdog

Posted on: 20th January 2015

kine_nance

Andrew George MP – who chairs the Grocery Market Action Group and was an architect of the groceries watchdog (the Groceries Code Adjudicator) – is calling on Ministers to give dairy farmers greater protection and support, particularly during a period when milk can be purchased at a price cheaper than water!

Commenting on a Rural Affairs Select Committee report on the crisis in the dairy industry, Mr George said:

“The dairy industry has lurched from crisis to crisis since Milk Marque was disbanded in 1999.  Although the groceries watchdog has no role as a price setting body it has powers to enforce fair and lawful trading.

“Dairy processors and supermarkets treat the dairy industry as if you can turn milk supplies on and off like a tap.  UK dairy farmers are in a monumentally weak position in the market.  Their weakness is being exploited by processors and supermarkets.  We cannot carry on like this.