Dairy farmers have again been urged to calculate their hidden labour costs to find the true cost of milk production.

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers said farmers should allocate at least 4p/litre for unpaid labour into their dairy enterprise costings.

The comments follow a recent study by the Meat and Livestock Commission into the true costs of unpaid family labour.

Tim Bridgestocke, RABDF chairman, said it was essential dairy farmers ensure their costings reflect the true costs of milk production.

“Recent findings from the Dairy Event 2006 survey show that farmers are struggling to quantify their milk production costs from within their diverse businesses, with a large proportion significantly underestimating them,” he said.

Related links:

• Meat and Livestock Commission