Byrne: NI dairy farmers being badly short-changed

SDLP Agriculture spokesperson Joe Byrne has called for radical reforms in the North’s milk-pricing system so as to alleviate the desperation faced by local dairy farmers.

The West Tyrone MLA said: “Northern Ireland milk farmers are in desperation because farm gate milk prices are so low.

“For too long the milk pricing system in Northern Ireland has been failing the farmer insofar as the farm gate price is so low in comparison to the retail price paid by the customer in the shop.

“After the last six months of bad weather, rising feed costs and poor liquid milk prices at the farm gate, many dairy farmers are at breaking point.

“The campaign by dairy farmers and the lobby group ‘Farmers For Action’ must be recognised by the Minister for Agriculture and DARD . Dairy farmers need to see some improvement in primary producer prices immediately or else the current situation becomes a full blown crisis.

“The liquid milk auction system administered by United Dairies here in Northern Ireland has consistently short changed local dairy farmers in recent years.

“The reality is that milk processors and the large retailers are enjoying the profits but dairy farmers aren’t even covering their current costs of production.

“The time has come for The DARD Minister to intervene and change the system in the interests of the farmers and tackle the farm crisis in the dairy industry.”