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 Becky Dickinson rounds up the milk crisis"The low price of milk is being blamed partly on the pound"  real 28k Protesting farmer Tom Howells"Farmers will not stick together, and that is a very, very sad thing"  real 28kBBC Wales's Hefina Rendle"Some farmers are threatening to step up their action" real 28kPlaid Cymru AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas"What we need very quickly is a political solution to this problem" real 28k |
Legal blow to milk protest pickets
Thousands of gallons of milk are going down the drain
Dairy farmers picketing creameries in west Wales were forced to disperse after a court order was issued against them.
The order - issued by a High Court Judge in Brimingham - was obtained by Milk Marque on Thursday, whose premises in Whitland were being picketed in protest over low milk prices.
Sixteen west Wales farmers who had been blocking the Spring Garden site in Whitland and the Felin Fach Creamery, Lampeter, were told that if they did not move they would be in contempt of court and could face a substantial fine, prison or a seizure of their assets.
But protestors have pledged to resume their action on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, splits appeared in groups of protestors, with some picketing dairies while others demanding the tankers be allowed out.
Groups of angry farmers picketed depots at in west Wales, in the early hours of the morning, intent on starving producers of their raw material.
The order - issued by a High Court Judge in Brimingham - was obtained by Milk Marque on Thursday, whose premises in Whitland were being picketed in protest over low milk prices.
Sixteen west Wales farmers who had been blocking the Spring Garden site in Whitland and the Felin Fach Creamery, Lampeter, were told that if they did not move they would be in contempt of court and could face a substantial fine, prison or a seizure of their assets.
But protestors have pledged to resume their action on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, splits appeared in groups of protestors, with some picketing dairies while others demanding the tankers be allowed out.
Groups of angry farmers picketed depots at in west Wales, in the early hours of the morning, intent on starving producers of their raw material.
 It is a waste that is necessary to bring to the attention of dairies and the general public just what a plight farmers are in  |
Farmer David Nicholas |
But other farmers have demanded the tankers be allowed out to pick up their milk.
The farmers opposing the protests are threatening to return to the depots in an effort to ensure the milk gets out.
On Thursday there was a stand-off between farmers on both sides of the argument.
The farmers say tankers were stopped from leaving the dairies meaning almost no milk was collected from Wales's main milk-producing areas.
Farmers said the two-day blockade was planned to raise awareness of the financial plight of milk producers, many of whom face bankruptcy.
Milk collection tankers will also be turned away from farm gates for 48 hours in a bid to disrupt supplies to the dairies.
It followed a protest on Wednesday when thousands of gallons of milk worth �8,000 was poured on to fields at Raglan, Monmouthshire.
About 250 farmers in the area turned up to support the protest.
Farmer David Nicholas said: "It is a waste that is necessary to bring to the attention of dairies and the general public just what a plight farmers are in."
Mr Nicholas said farm incomes had dropped by a third.
"Seven, eight years ago we were getting 10p a litre more for milk than we are getting now.
"Everyone was making a profit then. Someone is creaming off an extra 10p."
Protest organiser Tony Hack said demonstrations were the only option left to many farmers.
"We are losing money every day now," he said.
"We cannot produce milk for the price they are paying us. Whatever happens we are quite happy to pull the plug and lose a few days' milk."
The Farmers' Union of Wales has called a special meeting of its milk committee to discuss the crisis in the industry.
Committee chairman Brian Walters said: "It is disgusting that farmers only receive around 8p a pint for their milk while some consumers are paying 40p a pint.
"Unless the price improves immediately, there is a real danger that thousands of dairy farms could go out of business".
Union leaders are demanding the immediate payment of �46m in agri-monetary aid to compensate dairy farmers for the strength of the pound - one of the main factors in plunging prices.
The union is also demanding talks with the giant supermarket chains to improve the price paid to farmers for milk.
NFU Cymru-Wales president, Hugh Richards, said the agricultural industry was facing the worst crisis in living memory.
Mr Richards said Wales's dairy farmers were being placed in an impossible situation, and the price they for milk had fallen by around 30% in three years.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has called a farming "summit" at No 10 at the end of the month to discuss problems in the industry.
UK Agriculture minister Nick Brown and his counterparts in Scotland and Wales will attend, as will farming union leaders.
The farmers opposing the protests are threatening to return to the depots in an effort to ensure the milk gets out.
On Thursday there was a stand-off between farmers on both sides of the argument.
The farmers say tankers were stopped from leaving the dairies meaning almost no milk was collected from Wales's main milk-producing areas.
Farmers said the two-day blockade was planned to raise awareness of the financial plight of milk producers, many of whom face bankruptcy.
Milk collection tankers will also be turned away from farm gates for 48 hours in a bid to disrupt supplies to the dairies.
It followed a protest on Wednesday when thousands of gallons of milk worth �8,000 was poured on to fields at Raglan, Monmouthshire.
About 250 farmers in the area turned up to support the protest.
Farmer David Nicholas said: "It is a waste that is necessary to bring to the attention of dairies and the general public just what a plight farmers are in."
Mr Nicholas said farm incomes had dropped by a third.
 Farmers protest over milk prices |
"Everyone was making a profit then. Someone is creaming off an extra 10p."
Protest organiser Tony Hack said demonstrations were the only option left to many farmers.
"We are losing money every day now," he said.
"We cannot produce milk for the price they are paying us. Whatever happens we are quite happy to pull the plug and lose a few days' milk."
The Farmers' Union of Wales has called a special meeting of its milk committee to discuss the crisis in the industry.
Committee chairman Brian Walters said: "It is disgusting that farmers only receive around 8p a pint for their milk while some consumers are paying 40p a pint.
"Unless the price improves immediately, there is a real danger that thousands of dairy farms could go out of business".
Union leaders are demanding the immediate payment of �46m in agri-monetary aid to compensate dairy farmers for the strength of the pound - one of the main factors in plunging prices.
 Tony Blair has promised to meet farmers |
NFU Cymru-Wales president, Hugh Richards, said the agricultural industry was facing the worst crisis in living memory.
Mr Richards said Wales's dairy farmers were being placed in an impossible situation, and the price they for milk had fallen by around 30% in three years.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has called a farming "summit" at No 10 at the end of the month to discuss problems in the industry.
UK Agriculture minister Nick Brown and his counterparts in Scotland and Wales will attend, as will farming union leaders.
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