EU milk producers plan mass price protest
Hundreds of dairy farmers from across Europe will be travelling to Germany this week to demand more flexibility in the milk supply chain and protest against milk prices not covering costs of production.
European Milk Board (EMB) member organisation BDM (Bundesverband Deutscher Milchviehhalter) is organising the demonstration in Berchtesgaden, Upper Bavaria, from 10 to 12 April.
Farmers will journey in convoys of tractors for the protests, which coincide with a meeting of Germany’s federal and regional ministers for agriculture.
A joint scientific study by the EMB and the MEG Milch Board, shows a stark divide between real production costs and prices being paid to dairy farmers in Germany for their milk.
The study found the average production cost for milk in Germany was about 50 cents/kg (£0.42p/kg), while the average price paid to farmers was 33 cents/kg (£0.28p/kg). The study was commissioned in late 2011 and the results were published in January.
“This protest is an opportunity for the EMB to pool all the main farm organisations together to make the point when German agricultural ministers convene at this meeting.”
William Taylor, Farmers For Action
Other EU members of the EMB, the European umbrella organisation which lobbies on behalf of milk producers, will join the protests. British dairy farmers have also been invited to travel to Germany to take part.
Milk producers say the German government is taking the lead in preventing flexible regulation of milk supply from being implemented at EU level, which EMB claims is “threatening the future of economically sustainable milk production”.
Across Europe, including in the UK, excess supply of milk has been contributing to falling milk prices in recent years.
EMB says flexible supply control is needed to stop dairy farmers going out of business. It will also ensure the market brings about a milk price that is fair for both consumers and producers, the board adds.
During the protests, farmers will be calling on the German government to stop blocking negotiations on EU milk policy.
William Taylor, Northern Ireland co-ordinator of Farmers For Action (FFA) and co-ordinator of Fairness for Farmers in Europe (FFE), explained: “The German government, with its influence in Brussels in the EU Council is the main objector to EMB’s demands for flexible supply control after the removal of milk quotas.
“This protest is an opportunity for the EMB to pool all the main farm organisations together to make the point when German agricultural ministers convene at this meeting.”
The EMB represents 19 milk producers’ organisations from 14 European countries and a total of approximately 100,000 dairy farmers. Around 75% of the milk volume in Europe is produced in its member states.