Pressure is growing for a rise in farmgate milk prices, with Farmers For Action's David Handley warning of more direct action within the month.

After a relatively quiet summer from the pressure group and little sign of its figurehead, Handley told The Grocer that there would be an autumn of discontent as the appetite for a fight returned to dairy farmers.

"People were getting demoralised, but I've ignited the fire again. Talks are helping, but we all know the only way to get prices up is direct action."

Asda will again be the target, he said. "Asda set the rot in. The Germans have kicked Wal-Mart out and we can do the same here."

Head of ethical sourcing at Asda, Chris Brown, said he was perplexed by the talk of action. "I struggle to understand why when we're still paying 18.93ppl average - near the top of the league."

Although the NFU does not endorse Handley's actions, dairy board chairman Gwyn Jones has recommended that farmers invoice their milk buyers

for an additional 0.7ppl backdated to August. Jones said that this was justified because cream prices have risen again, boosting the value of milk. Many of this year's price cuts were made in anticipation of a fall in cream values and it is time for that move to be undone, he said.

Handley also said that plans were proceeding for farmers across the EU to take action if there were no improvement in dairy incomes. "We had a meeting with Mariann Fischer Boel, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, and told her that we would do something that would make

everyone sit up if things didn't get better."

Farmers' groups were meeting again later this month, with a view to agreeing action in the run-up to Christmas, when it would have the biggest impact, he added.

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