Urgent government update on action to support dairy industry sought
15 October 2014
With milk prices falling rapidly, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has today written to Rt Hon Liz Truss MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, seeking an update on Defra’s actions to support the UK dairy industry.
Chair of the Committee, Miss Anne McIntosh MP, said
"Our Committee has taken a close interest in the dairy industry, publishing a report in 2011 with a series of recommendations for Government action. We would like an update on the implementation of changes to ensure our dairy farmers can continue to invest for the future at a time of volatile market prices.
We also want the Government look at how best to manage the relationship between indirect suppliers, such as dairy farmers, and retailers and whether the voluntary code of practice applying to contracts between farmers and dairy processors should be made mandatory.
We look forward to receiving the Secretary of State’s reply as a matter of urgency."