Milk sellers pour back into co-ops
By FWi staff
THE campaign to persuade direct milk sellers to return to co-operative marketing has been met with overwhelming support, according to the organisers.
Although numbers are yet to be confirmed, over 1600 dairy farmers in the midlands and Wales, members of the 2000-member Association of Milk Producers, are expected to resign their direct contracts, says chairman Bev Baker.
“I am amazed at the response we have been getting, and the campaign drives on. This week 200 million litres have been resigned and this is increasing.
“Producers decisions have been fuelled by Dairy Crests recent announcement of its modest price increase, and has galvanised our members into realising what they have to do to achieve a fair price for their milk,” says Mr Baker.
Representatives of AMP are recommending that its members move to either Milk Link or The Milk Group.
West Country Milk Producers has also received a huge response from its members, who are being advised to join Milk Link.
“Ultimately it is in our members interests to make the move and take control on an evenly balanced basis,” says manager Bryan Lewens.
And the 2000 members of the northern-based Association of Dairy Farmers voted on Monday on where to send their milk.
Vice chairman David Dugdale said exact numbers would not be known until next week. He added that it is down to the farmers to come together and eliminate direct supplying.
“We need to establish a restructuring of the industry that will give it a long term future – at the moment it doesnt have one.”
Milk price review: March for February 2001 deliveries (updated monthly)
COMPANY
This
month
Last
month
Transport EODC
(ppl)
Transport flat rate
(ppl)
Transport volume
(ppl)
Bactoscan/
total bacteria
(ppl)
Somatic cell count
(ppl)
Butterfat
(ppl)
Protein
(ppl)
Seasonal
adj (ppl)
Price/std
litre (ppl)
EODC Price/std
litre (ppl)
Rolling avge price
Mar00-Feb01
Glanbia Scotland (Lockerbie)**
1
1
-0.23
-0.45
0.00
0.30
0.20
6.67
10.58
1.20
19.60
20.17
17.00
Midlands Co-op
2
2
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.20
0.38
0.00
0.00
0.00
19.20
n/a
18.07
Bodfari
3
3
0.30
0.00
-0.30
0.40
0.20
7.87
10.40
0.00
19.17
19.77
17.26
Lancashire Dairies**
4
4
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.70
0.67
0.00
0.00
0.00
19.09
n/a
18.04
Wiseman Central Scotland
5
5
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.50
0.90
0.34
0.00
18.81
n/a
17.92
Wiseman England
6
7
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.50
0.90
0.12
0.00
18.77
n/a
17.71
The Milk Group
7
8
0.10
0.00
0.00
0.30
0.70
8.38
8.37
0.00
18.75
18.85
17.52
Arla Foods** (Premier)
8
9
0.16
0.45
0.00
0.60
0.60
6.97
3.30P
0.00
18.74
18.90
17.68
South Caernarvon****
9
10
-0.57
-1.10
0.00
0.00
0.00
7.52
11.39
-0.50
18.60
19.13
17.53
Wyke Farms
10
11
-0.38
-0.73
0.00
0.10
0.00
7.33
10.12
0.00
18.53
18.88
16.99
Wiseman Aberdeen
11
6
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.50
0.90
0.34
-0.50
18.31
n/a
18.08
Nestlé England (Dalston)
12
16
-0.46
-1.09
0.00
0.20
0.00
8.23
10.94
0.00
18.28
18.91
17.55
Nestlé Scotland (Girvan)
13
12
-0.46
-1.09
0.00
0.20
0.00
8.23
10.94
0.00
18.28
18.91
17.51
Scottish Milk
14
13
0.00
-0.45
0.10
0.30
0.20
7.46
10.56
0.00
18.17
n/a
16.94
Golden Vale****
15
14
-0.25
-0.30
-0.58
0.40
0.30
7.95
9.01P
0.00
18.08
18.72
17.20
Express Dairies
16
15
0.00
0.00
0.25
0.80
0.60
5.73
9.10P
-0.60
17.89
n/a
17.33
Unigate/Dairy Crest (UBD)****
17
19
-0.45
-1.27
0.00
0.30
0.30
3.12
3.43
-1.00
17.47
18.30
17.22
MilkLink
18
17
0.70
-1.04
0.10
0.30
0.30
7.54
10.20
0.00
17.40
18.00
n/a
Southern Co-op
19
18
-0.49
0.00
-0.49
0.20
0.10
8.75
8.45
0.00
17.27
17.27
17.66
Zenith
20
20
0.84
-1.09
0.10
0.30
0.30
6.77
9.08
0.00
16.85
17.60
n/a
Axis
21
21
0.06
-0.54
-0.68
0.30
0.30
7.30
9.87
0.00
16.59
17.14
n/a
Help us to help you
This table is supported by pricing information confidentially supplied by dairy farmers across the country. If you, too, would like to help, please contact Stephen Bates at Imperial College at Wye
Email:s.bates@ic.ac.uk
Council levy
* After transport and marketing charges, assuming
daily collection of milk 4.1% butterfat,
3.30%
protein, 1101 litres/day, TBC below 20,000/top band Bactoscan and cell
count below 250,000
**Includes (minimum) group
bonus paid to over 95% of farmers
***Price
includes: 7 keys; top general compliance score; 0.5ppl group bonus;
regional bonus; and sovereign supplier bonus
****Price includes farm assurance bonus (0.3ppl for
Golden Vale and S.Caernarvon)
P=payment for protein capped (at 3.3% for Arla
and Express, 3.35% for Golden Vale)