Liberty & Livelihood

Three-day strike to pressure retailers
Nov 1 2005
Steve Dube, Western Mail

FARMERS across the UK have promised to support the first three-day farmers' strike, which starts tomorrow.

Livestock and vegetable farmers will not take their produce to market while dairy farmers will hold back as much milk as possible in a demonstration organised by Farmers for Action.
FFA chairman David Handley said plans had fallen through for Westbury Dairies in Wiltshire to dry as much milk as possible for earthquake victims in southern Asia. "Reluctantly, we have to ask producers to dispose of their withheld milk as they see fit, in a responsible manner, avoiding any pollution risk," he said.

"Any shortage of milk created at this stage will have a knock-on effect on the current milk market and generate further interest in additional strike action and peaceful protests planned in the run up to Christmas. This action will put pressure on the retailers to make sure that primary producers get a substantial return for their product. We're asking all other producers to hold all stock and produce back for these three days and give any perishable produce to charitable causes."

Mr Handley, 53, a tenant farmer with a Jersey milk herd at Llangovan near Monmouth, saidthat despite BSE, foot-and-mouth and now avian flu, the supermarkets continued importing cheap products from abroad.