Belgian farmers block Liege airport, dairy in crisis
British protests
Dairy farmers across the U.K. have been protesting ridiculously low prices of milk in the country. Over the last few weeks protests have been staged and in some cases that has involved taking cows into large High Street supermarkets to make a point and the point is that milk is selling for less than it costs to produce.
In England some farmers stripped supermarket shelves of milk before giving it away outside of the stores.
But it is not a U.K. issue but rather an E.U. problem.
Tuesday Russia Today carried a report from Belgium which shows dairy farmers in that country blocking the airport at Liege.
French and Belgian dairy farmers have been protesting on and off since July.
On April 1, 2015, All Fool's Day, the E.U. scrapped 30-year-old milk quotas, putting an end to three decades of government intervention to control the production and price of milk in Europe.
Consumers in the U.K. have become used to paying rock bottom prices for milk but trying to keep prices low since milk quotas ended is wrecking the dairy farming economy.
In England the price farmers receive for milk varies between supermarkets but overall has meant losses for dairy farms. After protests in early August some supermarkets have said they will improve prices to farmers.
The ending of milk quotas has led to a free for all.
Add to this sanctions and trade embargoes against Russia and this E.U. decision looks ludicrous.
Russia previously bought huge amounts of milk and other dairy products from E.U. countries but in tit for tat embargoes that has all changed.
Wednesday Russia Today reports:
The Brussels-based European farmers union Copa Cogeca, which includes about 60 agricultural organizations from all around the EU, estimated the losses at about €5.5 billion.
On September 7, Luxembourg, which currently holds the EU Presidency, will convene an extraordinary meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels to discuss the crisis in the dairy and cattle sectors. Copa Cogeca is expected to hold protests that day.
Kudos to the British, French and Belgium dairy farmers for making a stand and protesting but will it force an E.U. re-think?
Many dairy consumers in the U.K. have said they would pay more for supermarket milk but some farmers are locked into crippling contracts.
The Tory government in the U.K. is supported by many farmers which could be why Elizabeth Truss, the Tory environment secretary, is looking at forcing "supermarkets to state on labels whether their fresh food is from Britain and to agree to long-term contracts with farmers as part of plans to address the crisis in the dairy industry."
Opinion: I doubt the E.U. will allow that. The dairy farming industry then is yet another E.U. related crisis.
BBC News - Where should you buy a pint of milk to support [British] farmers?
Dairy UK