Milk militants to blockade Crest
26 January 2001
Milk militants to blockade Crest
By John Burns
FARMERS have threatened to blockade milk depots again after Dairy Crest announced a disappointing 0.5ppl bonus for February only.
Members of the Farmers For Action pressure group were expecting Dairy Crest to announce at least 1ppl extra from 01 January.
Hopes were high after the supermarket chain Asda raised the retail price of a 2.25-litre carton of milk from 83p to 88p, equal to about 2.2ppl.
But Dairy Crest announced a 0.5p bonus, prompting FFA chairman David Handley to say that his members would “go back to what we are good at”.
“The euphoria soon evaporated when we … met Dairy Crest and were told there would be an 0.5p bonus for February only,” he said on Friday.
Dairy Crest are understood to have told Mr Handley that they would pass on the rise in retail milk prices when they receive it.
Mr Handley said Dairy Crest was a major obstacle in the search for better producer prices and said he would be deploying his forces accordingly.
“Farmers have been kicked down into the mire so much by companies like Dairy Crest that theyve now had enough.”