The Welsh Conservatives’ Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Rural Affairs – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has today (3 August) urged those involved in Wales’ dairy sector to contribute to a consultation designed to tackle supply chain issues.
The UK-wide consultation was launched by DEFRA in response to concerns that primary producers, including dairy farmers, tend to occupy positions of relative market weakness in the food supply chain. For many years, dairy farmers have asked to make the pricing process more transparent. Sector officials also want to create an arbitration process, so as to ensure that there are sanctions for bad behaviour.
Commenting on the consultation, Janet said:
“I warmly welcome this UK-wide consultation and urge those involved in the Welsh dairy sector to contribute as this process offers a real opportunity to voice your opinions on whether regulations could be introduced to ensure that our dairy farmers are treated more fairly.
“In my meeting with farmers from South-West Wales last week, it was clear that the sector has been failed by consecutive Welsh Labour Governments, which have helped to inflict excessive and unfair red tape on our dairy farmers.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has once again hammered home the perilous position that many of our dairy farmers are in. It was truly heart-breaking to hear of several farmers having to resort to throwing away milk and losing their hard-earned livelihoods.
“By contributing to this consultation, the Conservative UK Government can propose regulations that will help to back Wales’s great dairy farmers, and thus safeguard our rural communities. This sector’s role as a vital rural job provider means their plight is too important to ignore.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- Interested parties can find out more about this nationwide consultation by heading to: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/agri-food-chain-directorate/contractual-relationships-in-the-uk-dairy-industry/
