Dairy crisis attracts 200 to emergency online chat
(c) Rex Impassioned dairy farmers took to Twitter en masse last night to tackle the big problems facing the dairy industry, sending a whopping 1,409 tweets in just two hours.
A total of 211 people, including producers, advisers, industry bodies and journalists shared their experiences and ideas in an emergency discussion organised by farming Twitter group AgrichatUK.
The combined number of followers reached 415,000 Twitter users and the chat was the third biggest AgrichatUK since the weekly chats began three years ago.
See also: Dairy survival: 4 key action areas for farmers
Participants tackled 12 questions around the theme of “How to save the dairy sector” using the hashtag #AgrichatUK.
Here is a snapshot of the discussion:
Q1 Importantly- How is everyone? What has been the impact on your farm or those you know? Looking ahead, what will you do? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q.1 Impact so far = reduced milk cheque. Looking ahead = batten down hatch & wait for next price cut! #agrichatuk #supportourfarmers #Arla
— Mags (@mags2milkyway) January 15, 2015
Q1 #AgriChatUK cut back on spending ie semen, new equipment etc going forward milk more to keep income at a similar level
— john waller (@johnrwaller) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK #AgrichatUK we are meadow ,6 months ago consultant said buy more cows? Accountant said the same, good job we couldn’t afford?
— Sandra Stalker (@rattycastle) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK I remember budgeting for my first farm in 1997 with a milk price of 22ppl. Can’t believe it’s there again for some. #AgrichatUK
— Andy Guy Consulting (@AndyGuy1963) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK Q1 we will put more cows on to spread costs ,and then go again next year bigger , keep moving forward #AgrichatUK
— graham barlow (@tibberdog) January 15, 2015
Q2 Let’s try and find some positivity first – what does UK dairy have going for it? What are its strengths? #AgrichatUK
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q2 I think generally UK has a competetive cost of production compared to much of Europe. #AgrichatUK
— Rob Hitch (@Rob__Hitch) January 15, 2015
Q2 massive knowledge and skill base, plus a history most countries can only dream of #AgrichatUK
— James Robinson (@JRfromStrickley) January 15, 2015
Q2 massive knowledge and skill base, plus a history most countries can only dream of #AgrichatUK
— James Robinson (@JRfromStrickley) January 15, 2015
Q2b how can we build on all those positives then? What are the weakenesses in the sector? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
#AgrichatUK Q2b retail discounting is hurting the high value should have in dairy market. But little can do as all s’markets struggling
— Charlie Taverner (@charlietaverner) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK 2b we are weak sellers diversity is good but shouldn’t be deviseive #AgrichatUK need more manufacturing processing capacity
— Rob Harrison (@robharrison37) January 15, 2015
#AgrichatUK weakness is articles like this http://t.co/3EAFUtwV0j portraying pitiful image of job and sector
— George Brown (@GBinNZ) January 15, 2015
Q3 Is it fair that First Milk asked its farmers to stump up cash? What other options did it have? Q&A http://t.co/xZhvYXpaoC #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q3 No. The company have dug the hole, and now the producers are expected to fork out cash they haven’t been paid? #AgrichatUK
— Martin Lloyd (@MertinLloyd) January 15, 2015
Yes, is fair. It’s ‘their’ business. Think @first_milk board haven’t explained/sold the #coopmentality to their members enough #AgriChatUK
— Mags (@mags2milkyway) January 15, 2015
Q3 No other options available. We as members are shareholders, up to us to capitalise the company. Yes it hard but no FM harder #AgrichatUK
— Sarah Jane Drummond (@S_JDrummond) January 15, 2015
Q4 What should/ could processors do to alleviate the dairy crisis? What is there role? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
#agrichatUK Q4 – Processors, IMO, must continue to pay suppliers. Milk cheque is not only cash flow, its acting as a guarantee for banks.
— Zander Hughes (@farminginfife) January 15, 2015
Q4 could cooperative processors support farmers to product their own brands Inc value added brands #AgrichatUK
— Drytons Own (@DrytonsOwn) January 15, 2015
@DrytonsOwn @ArlaFoodsUK do. #agrichatUK #supportourfarmers #milksasuperfood pic.twitter.com/L65WCV7RAm
— Mags (@mags2milkyway) January 15, 2015
Q5 Where do supermarkets sit on this? What could they do differently? Should they have more responsibility for sector viability? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK q5 retailers do some good things but need to improve uk sourcing, labelling and transparency on dairy prod #AgrichatUK
— Rob Harrison (@robharrison37) January 15, 2015
Q5 s’markets are an easy target – justifiably – they need to up the price on the shelf – simple!! #agrichatuk
— SouthAcre Dairy Farm (@Southacrefarm) January 15, 2015
#AgrichatUK Q5 the supermarkets are key to a strong UK market but milk & dairy produce should be aspirational retail items not cheap 3for2
— Glyn Lucas (@GlynALucas) January 15, 2015
Q6 Would it be right for the government to step-in and intervene in the market in some way? If so what, if not why? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q6 Yes, something like the milk marketing board, to ensure that if s’markets want milk, they pay enough for it. #AgrichatUK
— Martin Lloyd (@MertinLloyd) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK q6. no. Bad pr. Public think farmers bathe in subsidies as it is! Plus where do you draw the line? #agrichatuk
— Neil Quinlan (@neilquinlan) January 15, 2015
Q6 Right for Government to intervene? Yes! It’s their job to correct market distortions, which is what supermarkets are doing! #agrichatuk
— Gerry Danby (@pundles) January 15, 2015
Q7 Should we accept that some producers will be forced out of dairy? Is it inevitable? How big is a viable dairy industry? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q7 Despite losing 25000 producers in 30 years (?) we still produce same milk. 5000 farmers would 2.5ml each, quite possible? #AgrichatUK
— Rob Hitch (@Rob__Hitch) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK every other industry rationalises. No one has God-given right to be dairy farmer #agrichatUK Need to build resilience to stay in
— Julia Hawley (@Brentingbyfarm) January 15, 2015
Q7 farming is no different to other industries, we cant expect more and more efficiency and the number of jobs remain the same #AgrichatUK
— Rob Halliday (@cvfarming) January 15, 2015
Q7 losing farmers inevitable. All history is people moving off land into other jobs. But we must choose how far we want to go #AgrichatUK
— Charlie Taverner (@charlietaverner) January 15, 2015
Q8 Are there other ways farmers could be paid? Eg A/B contracts, cost of production model, cost-tracking? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q7: size is’nt only determinant of profitable dairy farm/any farm): paid labour, rent & finance are 3 big variables + buyer #AgrichatUK
— Oliver Dowding (@OliverDowding) January 15, 2015
Producers should be paid market value not COP. If it’s not worth anything don’t produce it.BUT need stable market. #AgrichatUK
— Silver Fox (@silverfoxfarmer) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK #agrichatuk #Q8 Clear transparency for the farmer, processor, and retailer margins. One party gets greedy = failure.Fair profits
— Chris Acaster (@AAFarmServices) January 15, 2015
Q9 What should UK dairy farmers aim for as a cost of production? What is your cost of production? Could you improve it? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
“@AgriChatUK: Q9 What should farmers aim for as a cost of production? #agrichatuk” < consistently 8p less than milk price with a 6-10p range
— Sam Pearson (@Sambrondanw) January 15, 2015
Q9 Teagasc say producers unable to get their COP below 30€c, about 23ppl, should consider their future? Thoughts? #AgrichatUK
— Rob Hitch (@Rob__Hitch) January 15, 2015
Arla will never pay farmers more for milk than it can afford, Jonathan Ovens tells Bakewell #DairyCrisis meeting #AgrichatUK
— Johann Tasker (@johanntasker) January 15, 2015
Q10 Who should be responsible for promoting dairy products? How? #AgrichatUK
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Babies advertising milk you say @RhianepFW @willwilson100 #AgrichatUK pic.twitter.com/xgodm21r8T
— James (@Wilkster_) January 15, 2015
@AgriChatUK Q10 I think responsibility from producer to processor to retailer it’s in everyone’s interest to market product #AgrichatUK
— laurie brunskill (@LaurieBrunskill) January 15, 2015
#AgriChatUK q10 from our perspective a generic promo must come from @AHDB_DairyCo they have levy in their pockets, it just needs redirecting
— James Robinson (@JRfromStrickley) January 15, 2015
Another great #retro #milk #advert https://t.co/QsNTTftlks #teamdairy #AgrichatUK Is this what we should be replicating? #TeamDairy
— RABDF (@theRABDF) January 15, 2015
Q10: processors and @dairyuk have that one! @AHDB_DairyCo should promote positives of industry and @DairyCouncil nutrition! #AgrichatUK
— Jan Prince (@JanPrince63) January 15, 2015
“Educating the consumer is the key to all of this,” David Handley of @FARMERS4ACTION. #DairyCrisis #AgriChatUK pic.twitter.com/YAUOh83prX
— Johann Tasker (@johanntasker) January 15, 2015
Q11 Where do consumers fit into all of this? Public perception/ values/ understanding etc #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
Q11 public is on #teamdairy ‘s side they would love to #BuyBritish & #shoplocal. & their happy to pay for the perceived quality #AgrichatUK
— Drytons Own (@DrytonsOwn) January 15, 2015
“@AgriChatUK: Q11 Where do consumers fit into all of this? Public perception/ values/ understanding etc #agrichatuk” pic.twitter.com/hpsxv1DW4n
— Tim Harrap (@BritishCheese) January 15, 2015
And finally.. Q12 If you had all dairy stakeholders in a room – what would you advise them to do? #agrichatuk
— AgriChatUK (@AgriChatUK) January 15, 2015
#AgriChatUK Q12 – don’t sell milk, sell health, sell taste.
— Aman (@DefaidTexel) January 15, 2015
Q12 reduce supply chain #agrichatuk
— SouthAcre Dairy Farm (@Southacrefarm) January 15, 2015
@JRfromStrickley I think a large dust bin to throw all these contracts your locked into and Just Milk Cows #teamdairy #AgrichatUK
— Stuart Barker (@ProduceLesLoges) January 15, 2015
Promote the product, be business minded, think differently and dont expect dairy to be different to other industries #AgrichatUK
— Rob Halliday (@cvfarming) January 15, 2015