NFU Roadshow Carries Milk Prices Message
Posted on: Thursday, 4 August 2005, 06:00 CDT
The NFU's Food and Farming Roadshow will be in Newcastle, outside Haymarket Metro, on Tuesday August 9 and will give people the chance to champion the cause of local milk producers.
Primarily designed with fun in mind, the roadshow features interactive computer games such as the "cowpat challenge" and Annabelle, the life-size model cow that loves to be milked. However, this year farmers will have a serious message too.
Milk prices have been hitting the headlines in recent months, with many dairy farmers' livelihoods threatened by very low prices that for some are below the cost of production.
As a result, North-East farmers are appealing to the public to show their support and sign a petition calling for milk producers to get a fairer deal.
"Around 1,400 farmers in Yorkshire and the North-East produce milk ( most of them running small family farms that are the backbone of agriculture in this part of the world," said Denis Gibb, who keeps 250 dairy cows at Dalton, near Newcastle.
"We believe people will be shocked to learn how little dairy farmers get for their milk, considering the average price of milk in the shops is around 50p per litre.
"On average the farmer gets 18 pence a litre, but it costs an average of 17 pence a litre to produce. That means a profit of just a penny a litre and some farmers do not even clear that.
"We have always found local people to be very supportive and we expect to get lots of signatures ( especially as in return we will be giving away a free taste of the 'White Stuff'."
According to Denis, who also sits on the NFU's regional dairy board, public support is vital in convincing other members of the dairy supply chain that the industry should be striving for a fairer distribution of the retail price.
"All we are calling for is a fairer deal, where every link in the chain ( including the primary producer ( gets a living wage," he said.
As well as enjoying a free drink of milk, children visiting the roadshow will also get the chance to see baby chicks, milk Annabelle the model cow and visit the Friendly Farm Club website. For younger children, there's even a mini red tractor to sit in.
There's lots of information on board too for both children and their parents including recipe leaflets and facts and figures on the Red Tractor logo that appears on all good British food. The whole event is hosted by larger-than-life personality and self-appointed roadshow poet, Johnny Ball.
Source: The Journal - Newcastle-upon-Tyne
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