Dairy marchers press onwards
Dairy marchers press onwards
HUNDREDS of dairy farmers continued their march from Carlisle to London this week, passing though the Lancashire towns of Blackburn and Bolton on Monday, before marching through Cheshire on Tuesday and Wednesday.
West Midlands farmers took up the baton in the second half of the week, with the march due to wind its way westwards at the weekend before heading east next week, arriving at the capital on Wednesday (Mar 15).
On reaching London, farmers in a lobby led by NFU president Ben Gill, will tell MPs the price they receive for milk has fallen by 27% in three years to less than 10p/pint, while consumers paid an average of 34p/pint last year. Mike Taylor, one of a handful of farmers who intend to walk all the way from Carlisle to London, said these prices are forcing him out of business, reflecting the feeling of desperation felt by dairy farmers the length of the country.
The NFU "Fair Share of the Bottle" march, which is being led by a customised float transporting a giant milk bottle showing the farmers share of the price, has regularly been attracting 200-300 marchers a day. Marchers have been handing out free bottles of milk to the public and explaining why they need support.
The NFU has also organised a national milk roadshow, running at the same time as the march, but covering towns and cities the march has bypassed.