Politicians briefed on milk crisis

REPRESENTATIVES OF the four main political parties will be briefed on the dairy industry crisis when they visit a north Wales farm.

Bryn Roberts, vice chairman of the Farmers Union of Wales‘s milk and dairy produce committee, will open the books of Fferm Pontruffydd in Denbighshire on Wed (Feb 16).

He will to demonstrate the way the low farm gate milk price and rising costs are hitting his business.

“He will also produce documentary evidence of how escalating production costs are threatening the viability of Welsh family farms,” said FUW spokesman Peter Roberts.

“We hope that hearing the facts spelled out in detail by a young farmer will underline the message that this union is endeavouring to get across to politicians as we approach a General Election.

“The Roberts family has invested heavily in herd expansion and had been part of the Welsh Assembly‘s Farming Connect initiative to improve family farm incomes, it faces the same huge problems as other Welsh producers.”

The FUW is encouraging other dairy farming members in the area to see the farm visit as an opportunity to air their problems.