Truss aims to free up funds for farmers at Brussels summit

Significantly depressed commodity prices that have fallen below the cost of production, delays to European support monies reaching farms and the withdrawal of China and Russia from key markets have combined to threaten the future viability of farming across the continent.

Today’s extraordinary meeting of the European Commission’s Agriculture Council has been called to address the crisis, after weeks of protests from farmers. Some British supermarket’s have seen store shelves swept clean of milk cartons over low milk prices, and their depots blockaded over prices paid for milk used in cheese, while French farmers have brought Paris streets to a standstill with tractor convoys.

Farming’s ten big asks to ease financial pain

Wensleydale farmers tell MP of their milk price pain

Winter support fund being developed for dairy farmers

It is a situation which will see thousands of European farmers gathered outside today’s summit to campaign for political action.

Ahead of the meeting, Miss Truss said she would call for measures to help dairy farmers. On her wish list is a relaxation on checks required on Common Agricultural Policy subsidies so payments to dairy farmers can be made when the payment window opens in December.

Miss Truss said: “I recognise the seriousness of the current situation for our hardworking dairy industry and I will be pushing the EU Commission for urgent action to help them through this turbulent time.”

She will also call for: a task force to be formed to develop proposals for a “futures market” which would give dairy farmers more certainty over future prices; more transparency in the dairy supply chain; and action to open new export markets and reduce costs associated with existing markets.

Among initiatives instigated by the UK government, Miss Truss will also today pledge to: publish details of central government catering contracts; review public sector buying habits where her government department will better promote British dairy; work with the food industry for more consistent labelling and branding of British dairy products; and deliver a review of best practice in the dairy supply chain led by the AHDB Dairy group.

Gwyn Jones, chairman of AHDB Dairy, said an industry working group had submitted key areas of focus to the government already.

Henry Rowntree, council delegate for West Yorkshire at the National Farmers’ Union who farms near Skipton, will be among the farmers in Brussels today.

He said: “This crisis has been building for some time. Prices for every commodity across the board are down.

“This year we are all having a big change in environment schemes. Now we have to jump through lots of hurdles. We have to see the Commission allow countries to pay Basic Payment Scheme and environment payments on time to alleviate this cash flow crisis.”

Farming’s ten big asks to ease financial pain

Wensleydale farmers tell MP of their milk price pain

Winter support fund being developed for dairy farmers