3000 Dairy Farmers Protest in Westminster

Earlier today a total of around 3000 dairy farmers from around the country got onto a variety of trains and buses for a day trip to London.

According to the Manchester Guardian:

The farmers are angry at the latest round of cuts of up to 2p per litre recently announced by major milk processors, which comes on top of a similar reduction introduced in the spring. They say the cuts will force many farmers out of business, pushing up the price of milk for consumers in the long term.

According to the Farmer's Guardian NFU deputy president Meurig Raymond said:

I have never seen such frustration in the farming industry and a show of unity to right the wrongs that have been imposed on us in the dairy industry.

The latest cuts are the feed bill, the wages, the housekeeping. They will take us into loss making territory and many farmers are losing up to 6p per litre.

We are here because this country needs its dairy farmers. But society does not realise what these farmers are being put through by a market place that does not work and is not fair.

The Farmer's Guardian also recorded a video of today's events:

As you watch it please note that Mr. Raymond also said:

Most of you had no choice but to come here today, because if you did not get on that bus, or catch that train, in 5, 10 or 20 years time you might just look back and say "I wonder if we could have made a difference if we'd stood up and said 'Enough is enough! This is the final straw!'

As you can see, he then got a standing ovation. Agriculture Minister Jim Paice put an alternative point of view:

I'm not afraid to tell you that I have seen numerous dairy farmer's figures over the last couple of years. There is a vast range of production costs. I'm not pointing fingers. All I'm telling you is that there is room, in some cases, in many cases, to reduce them further. That is all I'm telling you. That is why I say to you this whole issue involves everybody from the top to the bottom of the production chain.

He was booed instead.