Wensleydale Creamery is raising the milk price it pays its farmers by 1.5p per litre to 28.5ppl from 1 October.
The Yorkshire cheesemaker said much attention had recently focused on the plight of farmers who supplied milk for the liquid milk market, but those whose milk was used to produce other dairy products – such as cheese, butter, yoghurt and desserts – were in need of support too.
“All too often, the farmers supplying these markets are forgotten, but their costs are rising too, and they have the right to sustainable prices,” said MD David Hartley, adding liquid milk accounted for just 50% of the UK’s total milk market.
Hartley said the Wensleydale Creamery felt it was important to make a stand for the local farmers that supplied milk for its products by raising its milk price.
“We are by no means a mass producer in the cheese market, but felt it was necessary to make this significant financial commitment,” he said. “We will be lobbying our industry and retail partners to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of milk production for both the cheese and liquid milk markets.”
Matthew Bell of the Wensleydale milk producer group said farmers welcomed the company’s decision. “I challenge other manufacturers in the cheese market to follow the creamery’s lead and assist other farmers who are under pressure,” he said.
The higher price will apply to 46 farming families. News of the increase comes after Müller-Wiseman last week said it would raise its standard milk price by 2.57ppl to 29ppl from 15 October.
Earlier this month, Arla said its milk price would go up by 2.5ppl to 29.5ppl from 1 October, while Dairy Crest said it was “confident” it could deliver higher milk prices to farmers this autumn. However, it has yet to announce an actual price increase.
The dairy coalition of farming organisations, which has been campaigning for higher milk prices for dairy farmers since the summer, has been calling for price increases to farmers supplying non-liquid markets.
This week, the coalition said it would focus on making sure movements in the global dairy markets were reflected in prices paid to British farmers and urged retailers to make good on their promises to create more sustainable pricing models.
“It’s becoming increasingly apparent that some customers of dairy farmers are yet to be convinced of market dynamics,” said NFU president Peter Kendall. “We will be writing to engage with those key players in the coming weeks to ensure that any market increases are reflected, as they should be, in the price paid to farmers.”
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