Support pours in for FFA’s three-day strike call

Farmers For Action has had over 1000 messages of support for its three-day production strike from 2-4 November.

The lobby group has proposed the non-movement of any finished stock in the UK, together with no movement of fruit, vegetables and grain and the withholding of 50% of all milk from every producer over the three days.

FFA chairman David Handley said he had put the idea forward because he wanted to gauge whether farmers really supported a strike, a concept which often came up at meetings.

“I am surprised at the level of support we have got,” he admitted. “We were getting e-mails from farmers within three-quarters of an hour of a story appearing on Farmers Weekly Interactive. We’ve got people contacting us who aren’t FFA members pledging their support.”

Mr Handley said he was still keen to hear from farmers who wanted to take part. He also challenged the NFU, which has refused to back the strike, to say what it is trying to do to address the problem of retail dominance.

“If the NFU are condemning it, will they please come out and tell us what they are going to do,” he said.

Northern Ireland’s FFA co-ordinator William Taylor said it was down to farmers to make the strike work.

“If farmers pull together, then they have more power than OPEC. Then we can negotiate from a position of strength for better farm gate prices.”
Farmers who support the strike can contact FFA just by saying “yes” and leaving contact details. Phone 01291 690224.