The Great Milk Debate

Pam Sparrow and I had a very useful meeting with Mel and John from the NFU yesterday, to discuss what we're going to do about The Great Milk Debate.
Did you know that farmers are receiving more than 5p less per litre now than they were 10 years ago? That they are paid 17p a litre on average when it costs them 21p to produce it?
News reports yesterday suggested that in just a few years time, the UK will have to import milk because our dairy farmers will have gone out of business. Clearly it's time we did something.

Suggestions for action you can take now include:

• ask where the milk you are buying has come from. If it's not locally produced, ask why and consider shopping elsewhere
• ask where the other dairy products - cheese, yoghurt, butter - have been produced. Make it clear that such things are important to the survival of our dairy industry
• Look for the Red Tractor symbol on products to indicate 100% British produced goods
• If you're lucky enough to have doorstep delivery, continue to support this wonderful service.
• Find out as much as you can about the situation so that you can make informed decisions

Watch for details of three "Great Milk Debates" to be held in the county next April, when you will have a chance to hear representatives from all sectors involved in the production, processing and sale of milk in Gloucestershire.