High milk prices?!

[hamster]

Yeah, I'd have thought so too, 9ball. I suppose UHT milk or highly processed things (cheesestrings etc ) could get shipped around the world. And there must be increased demand for feed, which can be imported.

Anyway, I've found the BBC article on it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6929963.stm

[ina]

We just had a note a work this week, where I have managed to persuade them to have it delivered, that the price of milk is going up because there is a world shortage of milk. Got to say it sounded like 'leaves on the track' excuse from British Rail- is there really a world shortage? What happened to the excess production we all suffered from not so long ago?

I think it was in one of the recent Farmers' Weekly that I read, it will take Britain until 2011 at least to get back to fulfilling the European quota again: because the price paid for milk has been so bad over years, too many farmers have gone out of business, and now, surprise, surprise, there's not enough milk being produced...

Personally, I doubt whether we'll ever get back to fulfilling that quota, what with the rising feed prices (due to not only the floods this year, but also this perfectly stupid craze for bio fuels at all costs), and supermarkets not realising that farmers need to make some money to live on...

[Wombat]

Hear! Hear! Ina.

[Peggy Sue]

So it's time to get a milking cow 'just in case'!

Reminds me of my recent trip to Romania, every household had a cow they kept at the house in their back yard. Early int he morning the cow man came and they let their cows out, he herded them to the common for grqzing all day, then herded them back at night. They all knew where they lived and went straight to their doorways no trouble. How nice, thery had cow company all day but no-one had to be riach enough to won a herd to get by.

[ina]

Despite the fact that milk prices have gone up (not just in the shops, farmers are generally being paid more now, too), it's still not enough: they just can't keep up with the increase in production costs...

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2008/03/0 ... litre.html


Milk report says dairy farmers must be paid 30p/litre
03/03/2008 17:00:00
FWi

Dairy farmers should be paid almost 30p/litre for their milk, according to a report released today.

The Real Price of Milk was produced by consultant Promar and commissioned by milk co-op First Milk, which has 2600 members.

It calls for a new formula to calculate a consistently fair price that takes account of rising production costs and allows farmers to make a profit that they can reinvest.
Click Here

Increased production costs

Taking into account increased production costs, family labour and a 10% profit margin to reinvest, farmers should receive 29.64p/litre, the report said.

First Milk chief executive Peter Humphreys said: "For many dairy farmers we are at a pivotal moment.

"While the price paid for their milk has risen significantly further cost rises are inevitable and extensive investment is needed."

[Shirley]

I've stopped buying milk at the supermarket. Mine is now delivered by the milkman in glass bottles. What a difference in taste. The milkman also delivers a good range of cheese, butter and yoghurt (including some local varieties) as well as juices and other items.

Does buying from a milkman help the farmer though?

[dudley]

Since we got goats a couple of years ago we have not bought milk. But as they were both put into kid together this time we have dried them up ready for kidding. And so we have had to buy goats milk and been paying around £1.20 - £1.30 per litre. We were shocked. And all that packaging, we didn’t appreciate how environmentally friendly milking your own animals could be.
It’s a shame local communities cannot get together and delegate various duties. With work/time/skill permitting, for milk production, eggs, vegetable, etc, a bit like a self build group. But it would be so difficult to set up. Sorry I digressed.

[contadina]

We have goats coming this summer for the same reason but buy milk direct from the farm at the moment We arrive at the farm in the early hours with either a three little bottle for drinking or a 25 litre one if I'm making cheese and it costs 70 cents per litre. It's cheaper than I could buy it at the supermarket, it tastes much better and I know that the farmer is getting a higher price for it.

[ina]

We have goats coming this summer for the same reason but buy milk direct from the farm at the moment

Not allowed in Britain!

[ina]

Does buying from a milkman help the farmer though?

It depends on where he gets the milk from. There are a few small dairies still around - I'm always hoping that at least they pay a bit more for the raw material.

[contadina]

DEFRA have a lot to answer for. So many other European countries take a far more sensible approach to all matters related to farming.

[ina]

Yeah... And then they all blame Europe for the strict regulations! Nice to have a scape goat...

[Peggy Sue]

At least the milkman delivers in glass, I cringe at all the plastic bottles. I persuded work to have milk delivered, but my OH just won't have it. I think I'll just start doing it and say it was spare milk form work- see what he says when he doesn't have go down the garage to get milk after work!
I suspect the farmers get the same

[marshlander]

Fresh, untreated milk with a thick head of yellow cream on top.... wish I could still get it now! Used to by it direct from the farm on my way home from work - mind you, it cost 57p pint then (4 years ago) but it was in a returnable glass bottle and tasted fantastic.

I know pasteurised milk has less potentially harmful bacteria but I wish it wasn't standardised as well!

[Martin]

not 5 miles from here!
http://www.hookandson.co.uk/page4/page4.html