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Apologies for the DM source,
The price of milk has fallen to just 22p a pint thanks to a fierce war between supermarkets.Farmers have warned the UK dairy industry faces extinction if retailers continue to drive down the price – now at its lowest level in seven years.
Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Iceland are selling four pints of milk for just 89p, while Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose are not far behind at £1.
Pint for pint, milk is now cheaper than mineral water in most supermarkets.
Retailers insist they are funding the cost of the price reduction from their own profits, rather than paying farmers less. Many supermarkets have guaranteed the price farms receive will stay above the cost of production.
But farmers say the price war is also devaluing milk as a product at a time when they are under unprecedented pressure.
They are worried smaller shops without fair deals in place will try to match supermarket prices, driving down the cost further.
The global price of milk has collapsed in the past three months, meaning British farmers also receive less for milk they export.
Some are now being paid less than 20p a litre (11.4p a pint) – the lowest price in a decade and far lower than the sum it costs them to produce the milk.
According to the Fail, supermarkets are paying farmers for four pints as follows: ASDA and Morrisons, 56p. Iceland, Aldi, Lidl, 56p-59p. Sainsbury's 72p. Tesco 73p. M&S 78p. (Waitrose refused to confirm.)
I was curious about the claim that "Retailers insist they are funding the cost of the price reduction from their own profits, rather than paying farmers less" so I asked a friend who happens to be a dairy farmer whether this was true. This is what I was told:
no, its not true. Farmers have taken quite a few cuts this year. Now what they are paid is below the cost of production. It looks like First Milk is now going titsup, so another producer bites the dust. They are being screwed by the supermarkets too. Something is going to have to happen before we lose even more farms. Otherwise we'll have to rely on imports. These are cheaper because other countries subsidise their farmers, and don't have such high welfare standards as us.
...
We make a fuss, we get an increase of a few pence if we're lucky, that keeps us going and gives us hope, and within six months they drop the price again because the processors have sourced more cheap dried milk imports. They just don't value the farmers at all. Therefore the youngsters move off, because they want money for their kids education, marriages, funerals, holidays and the normal things everyone needs money for. In the old days they could do without money, but not any longer. Its criminal that bottled water costs more than milk.
So the moral of this story is; if you value home industry, locally sourced produce, animal welfare and all that good stuff, consider getting your milk locally.
Why don't farmers/veg box type places offer milk direct? I get loads of local veg delivery offers but never seen one for milk?
If there was a farmer friendly range of milk I don't think many people would mind spending 20p more on 4 pints.
We get ours from a milk man not sure where he gets it from.
Why don't farmers/veg box type places offer milk direct?
This sort of thing you mean?
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My grandparents were dairy farmers. They did the whole process from cow to doorstep, complete with horse & cart and everything. I don't imagine there's many still able to do that these days.
I've spent many days at auction marts in the past and seen some woefully low prices paid for livestock and I've listened to the producers rightfully feeling dismayed about it all.
However, I've also seen sky high prices for some -in demand- produce, I'm yet to hear a farmer complaining about taking so much money out of the consumers pocket and trying to get campaigns going to get consumers to boycott it.
The milkman came round ours to sign us up, said that they source milk locally at fair prices so I signed up. We can manage our orders (eg cancel a delivery) online at milk&more and its dead easy to pay by DD. does any one know if it's true that they pay a fair price? I haven't checked myself but we pay a bit more and the service (and the milk!) is good.
Why don't farmers/veg box type places offer milk direct? I get loads of local veg delivery offers but never seen one for milk?
Veg - dig it out the ground, put it in a box, sell it - No specialised equipment needed.
milk - pasteurised, homogenised, bottled then sold - specialised equipment required for all 3 stages
Why don't farmers/veg box type places offer milk direct?
Here's service for you. This is why:
"Farmers aren't allowed to sell milk directly off the farms, it has to go through processing plants, and not many could afford to do that, there are too many rules and regulations. I can't even give milk away, its illegal."
Why prop up dairy farmers rsther than coal miners?
Cos coal tastes rubbish in tea and is crap on cornflakes.
Why prop up dairy farmers rsther than coal miners?
I don' t think it has to be one or the other.
Buy a cow and cut out all the middle men ( 😉 )
Then you'd end up with middleman steaks.
And the end of cow exploitation. Power to the cows!!!
It's udderly ridicules
don' t think it has to be one or the other.
Ok why should I give two shits about dairy farmers?
Bully for that
animal welfare
MUST RESITS
leaves muttering bollocks under his breath
You might get the shits without them?
I'm sure imported milk is just as good. Dairy farmers destroying wildlife in another country seems much more preferable to me.
Why don't farmers/veg box type places offer milk direct? I get loads of local veg delivery offers but never seen one for milk?
Place I get my veg box from does, sourced from nearby farms. Several box suppliers in the area do
Two of your finest AA or just a bit of banter??
Care to dispense with the riddles?
As - au contraire why should I worry about coal. Plenty of other ways of generating power and nobody uses it for heating.
Or perhaps we can recognise that there are lots of people who work to support our privileged lifestyles and they all deserve fair compensation for what they do.
I was wondering if you were serious or not?
Fair point about coal, but why subsidise the wildlife destroying dairy farmers?
The milkman came round ours to sign us up, said that they source milk locally at fair prices so I signed up. We can manage our orders (eg cancel a delivery) online at milk&more and its dead easy to pay by DD. does any one know if it's true that they pay a fair price? I haven't checked myself but we pay a bit more and the service (and the milk!) is good.
I thought 'Milk&More' was Dairy Crest, in which case they're one of the worst for driving down prices, which is why I stopped using them.
If I can get local delivery from farmers being paid fair prices I'd be happy to pay extra for it.
My milk is delivered by the producing dairy farmer. The farm is a mile down the road.
It tastes materially better than supermarket milk.
Edit: they charge 52p/pint.
Cut out the middle man and buy raw milk from your local farm (if you've got one, not very likely!)
[url= http://www.naturalfoodfinder.co.uk/unpasteurised-raw-milk-uk ]Raw milk finder[/url]
Milk. Buy local
and
Retailers insist they are funding the cost of the price reduction from their own profits, rather than paying farmers less. Many supermarkets have guaranteed the price farms receive will stay above the cost of production...They (farmers) are worried [b]smaller shops without fair deals in place will try to match supermarket prices, driving down the cost further.[/b]
doesn't add up.
and
Pint for pint, milk is now cheaper than mineral water in most supermarkets.
...is just bollox. Mineral water is 45p for 2 litres.
But that's all about the source story, predictably.
Actually agree with the sentiment of the OP, and curious if there's any data on Coop prices 'cos that's the nearest practical option for us?
Bit of a side issue but I find it weird how I've never seen any movement towards buying ethical milk. From what I gather animal welfare standards (while no doubt better here than some countries) are really not great in the milk production industry. With a relatively small amount of effort you can buy outdoor reared meat etc but I've never, ever seen milk that claims higher animal welfare standards.
Ok why should I give two shits about dairy farmers?
You don't have to. Your trolling skills are slipping.
Oh I forgot having a different opinion from big hitters and mods was trolling. Best get out the ban hammer then hadnt you.
I've never seen any movement towards buying ethical milk
They don't have friesian of speech.
Oh I forgot having a different opinion from big hitters and mods was trolling. Best get out the ban hammer then hadnt you.
Nope still not up to your normal skills.
Now, now, drac, you know them there rules
If we see evidence or have good reason to believe that you are looking to get a rise or to deliberately force a reaction from any other users (Trolling) then we will stop you.
😉
Good point Grum, welfare seems low down on peoples' priorities 🙁
It's a nice sentiment but it doesn't work these days. I signed up for a local farm cooperative to supply milk by a good old milkman in good old glass milk bottles. I paid a premium but didn't care. But after a few weeks I found it was a waste of time. The milk and didn't always come round early enough before my wife and I were out of the house, and by the time we got back from work the milk was either off f it was warm from sitting out all day, or the neighbourhood cats had got to them. Also without an electric milk float the transit van used to wake us up early on the occasions he came before we left for work. So after a few weeks I cancelled.
anagallis_arvensis - Member
Oh I forgot having a different opinion from big hitters and mods was trolling. Best get out the ban hammer then hadnt you.
Heifer sit down and think about what you're saying
I agree.
No need to get all holstein about it.
You can sell raw milk. The in-laws used to do it on their milk round. They gave it up as no one apart from the old dears wanted to buy it. You obviously have to meet the regs on bacterial counts and hygiene etc.Here's service for you. This is why:"Farmers aren't allowed to sell milk directly off the farms, it has to go through processing plants, and not many could afford to do that, there are too many rules and regulations. I can't even give milk away, its illegal."
http://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2011/4645/rawmilk
Similar experience to wobbliscott was why we cancelled a few years back. They weren't coming until 9 or so, we phoned and explained that was utterly useless, they said 'we can get there for 8, probably'. Delivery cancelled. If they won't help themselves...
Ditto, organic veg. Disappointing delivery/state of food killed the nice idea for us.
[i]Why prop up dairy farmers rsther than coal miners? [/i]
While we do have milk delivered (usually before 6am), because we use a lot and like the convenience, the above still applies.
Why are they a special case, although since somebody thought it'd be a good idea to subsidise new cars to the tune of £5k a pop - I'm sure there are other special cases that we should get rid of too.
https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants/overview
Eeeeh, when we were kids and used to visit our gran in the country, she'd give us a big plastic jug and we'd walk round to the farm next door and fill it up from the big vat in the milking shed... them were the days*
*The 80's
Milk. Buy local
I do, it comes from this monstrosity which was built on what used to be a field of fresians:
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I like the quaint image of the dairy industry as poor farmers with a few cows that they probably know by name being beaten up by the supermarkets but in reality it's an industrial process in which only the biggest players will survive. The milk processors have been consolidating into a few big players with a series of mergers and takeovers and the creation of giant processing plants like the one above and the dairy farms will probably end up as a smaller number of [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20972578 ]giant indoor cowsheds based on those in the US[/url]. Farmers can to some extent shop around amongst the processors but the small farmer with a few cows doesn't stand a chance. Progress innit.
do, it comes from this monstrosity which was built on what used to be a field of fresians:
Probably not much difference in wildlife value. Organic milk is better for wildlife but still not great.
T with milk?
Rio - Aylesbury?
[i]but the small farmer with a few cows doesn't stand a chance. [/i]
But he never did, without volume you can't compete - no different to a corner shop.
[url= http://www.the-mooman.co.uk/ ]This[/url] is a great wee film if you want an insight into the world of the small dairy farmer.
Rio - Aylesbury?
Yes, textbook example of how to manipulate a weak planning department.
but the small farmer with a few cows doesn't stand a chance.
[i]But he never did, without volume you can't compete - no different to a corner shop.[/i]
Unless you offer better service or more convenience which seems difficult for many local dairy farmers nowadays.
We were getting milk from one of our local farms - they would promise milk from cow to door in 24hrs - the milk was pasteurised, but not homogenised. Great product, good price.
The farm gave up producing milk and delivering it after the price paid by the large dairies didn't cover cost of production - and other local milk delivery companies were stealing the milk delivered (so the farm derived milk service appeared unreliable)
Real pity, was really happy to use a locally sourced product - great to drive past the farm and tell the kids "That IS where your milk comes from"
I always buy Yeo Valley organic milk - they seem to have organised smaller organic farms into one brand for which I'm prepared to pay more. With really cheap milk I can't believe that corners aren't being cut and I just don't want to drink it.
In a similar vein Able and Cole veg boxes seem to be really well organised, but also organic and supplied by smaller producers. So far they've worked for me - I used to use a local one but it couldn't get its act together and folded. So far the Able and Cole version has worked better and offers more stuff I want to buy and their website is really easy to use).
Yeo Valley organic milk
I'd like to know what witchcraft they use on their bio-yog; it tastes [i]way [/i] too good for something that usually tastes like rancid gerbil sperm.
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Problem solved
When I drank 'normal' milk I would frequently buy Duchy Originals Organic on account of their ethos. Now I only drink lactose-free (non-soya) milk for which there is only one supplier who are part of a cooperative. It doesn't fill me with confidence at all. 🙁
The thought of having those enormous warehouse type structures filled with animals 24/7 is cruelty. 😐
rancid gerbil sperm
Proper LOL at that! Is it like, 'Fosters = Weasel piss?
I thought 'MilkMore' was Dairy Crest, in which case they're one of the worst for driving down prices, which is why I stopped using them.If I can get local delivery from farmers being paid fair prices I'd be happy to pay extra for it.
Yeah, I was slightly concerned that I just got sucked in to a sales spin once I ended up on the milkmore website, the salesman pleading at my door made me think I was supporting local farmers. I agree with your last point though; I live in west Sussex, it's full of beautiful old farmland, I'd like to keep it that way and support local producers/workers/manufacturers and I can more than afford paying a fair price for the milk in my macchiato. just tell me where to sign up.