On the picket lines (From Gazette & Herald)

On the picket lines

RYEDALE farmers joined picket lines last week as part of the national row over falling milk prices.

More than 1,000 farmers from across the country blocked ASDA depots in Yorkshire, Grangemouth, Lancashire, Leicestershire and Wales.

Farmers For Action's Yorkshire co-ordinator Moira Peckitt, of Carlton Husthwaite, near Thirsk, said 150 farmers gathered outside the ASDA depot at Normanton, West Yorkshire, at 10.30pm on October 21.

"Security came over to have a word, we told them who we were, they have seen us before and they assured us that nobody would cross the picket line. So we got our barbecue out until FFA leader David Handley made a phone call to the ASDA chiefs.

"We were all home for midnight because ASDA first gave David a verbal agreement and then a written agreement to meet him to discuss the milk prices situation next week."

The demonstration at Normanton was the eighth that Kirkbymoorside farmer Geoff Bean had taken part in. He said he saw at least a dozen farmers from Ryedale.

"It was extremely cold. It was an extremely good result. David Handley made ASDA agree to meet him to talk about them putting pressure on their chief suppliers to pass on the increase in the milk price to the dairy farmers.

"The milk processors want to keep the increase in milk prices all for themselves and not pass it back to the producer. That's not fair, it's hurting us here. They agreed to meet David, so we all went home very happy."

Later, Mr Bean hit out at what he called "grotesquely unfair" milk processors who are putting up their prices but giving only a fraction back to the producers.

Leeds-based Arla Foods has issued leaflets to customers warning that the doorstep price of milk has increased by 2p a pint.

Kirkbymoorside farmer, Geoff Bean, of Salton Lodge Farm, said he was outraged that the milk processors were charging an extra 2p per pint, but only offering farmers an increase of 0.8p per litre.

The leaflet reads: "You will be aware of the recent news in the national press of the increase in the price of raw milk. This increase is essential if we are to support the average dairy farmer in maintaining his business and assist them in maintaining a long-term UK milk supply."

"Blaming the farmers is grotesquely unfair," said Mr Bean. "The price farmers are paid for milk has been going down the whole of my life. This price increase means the housewife is being ripped off at one end and the farmer is being ripped off at the other."

A spokesman for Arla Foods said that milk sold on the doorstep only counted towards a fraction of their business, while supermarkets and smaller shops made up the majority of sales and Arla was looking at ways to pass money back to farmers from the larger customers.

"As a leading UK dairy company, Arla Foods is committed to building a successful and sustainable dairy industry throughout the supply chain from cow to consumer."

Updated: 10:05 Wednesday, October 29, 2003