Müller Wiseman Dairies has hit back at dairy farmers for blockading its Droitwich milk plant last night, claiming it is being wrongly targeted by protests.

Last night, Farmers For Action blockaded Müller Wiseman Dairies’ Droitwich plant. It is planning a further a protest at Arla’s Ashby-de-la-Zouche milk plant this evening and FFA chairman David Handley told The Grocer it would also target Dairy Crest “in the next 48 hours” and look to target Müller’s Manchester facility tomorrow.

In a damning statement, Müller said it had a constructive relationship with dairy farmers who were elected to represent those who supply the company. “We are therefore extremely frustrated to be targeted by 30 people from the militant Farmers for Action group, most of whom have no connection whatsoever with our company, and some of whom do not even own dairy herds.”

The renewed protests represent the latest leg of FFA’s campaign to get better milk prices for dairy farmers. It is calling for a 3 pence per litre increase in the price of milk received from January, claiming that the current average of 30ppl – 30.5ppl is not sustainable in the face of rising on-farm costs. “It saddens me that we’re back at this juncture again, but what options have we got?” said Handley.

The latest wave of protests follow widespread protests in July after milk processors announced a series of cuts to milk prices, which they were forced to abandon  

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