Shropshire farm crisis talks as milk price cut again

Dairy farmers from across Shropshire were at an emergency meeting today after two more companies announced a cut in the price they will pay for milk.

The National Farmers Union called urgent talks after Dairy Crest and Arla followed Robert Wiseman Dairies with an August price cut.

Dairy Crest will hit farmers with a 1.7p per litre fall in milk price from August 1, mirroring the announcement from Robert Wiseman last week. Arla will pay dairy farmers 2p per litre less.

The announcements follow 2p per litre cuts by Diary Crest in May and by Robert Wiseman in June.

NFU spokesman Olly Cartwright said: "We have called the meeting amid members' outrage."

The meeting is at the Staffordshire County Showground and is for farmers across the West Midlands.

There are a total of 449 dairy farmers in Shropshireand many are expected at today's talks, which were hurriedly organised late yesterday afternoon.

A small group of farmers met NFU regional director John Mercer yesterday.

They warned the number of dairy farmers will drastically drop as a result of these cuts.

NFU bosses have branded the cuts 'catastrophic' and 'unfair' and former dairy farmers in the county have branded the cuts 'criminal.'

Paul Wynn sold his dairy farm near Whitchurch three months ago because it was no longer financially viable.

He said the latest price cuts would spell the end for many county farmers.