NI dairy farmers on brink of strike after unanimous vote

Northern Ireland dairy farmers say they will strike before Christmas unless processors deliver fair milk prices immediately.

More than 250 dairy farmers voted unanimously in favour of strike action at a crisis meeting held in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, on Monday night (14 November).

The meeting was brought together under a “Northern Ireland Farm Groups” heading, which included representatives from the Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association, Fair Price NI, Holstein UK NI and Farmers for Action (FFA) NI.

See also: Angry NI dairy farmers to vote on strike action

A straw poll of dairy farmers taken at the meeting revealed that only three out of the 250 in the audience would still be producing milk in two years’ time, if the dire situation in the industry continued.

We used to say that farmers were asset rich and cash poor. Now a lot of them are asset poor and cash poor. It’s a terrible situation William Taylor, FFA NI spokesman

NI dairy farmers also voted unanimously in favour of lobbying processors to give at least three weeks’ advance notice of the milk price to be paid for the next month’s milk.

Speaking after the meeting, FFA NI spokesman William Taylor said: “Northern Ireland dairy farmers are absolutely scunnered to the back teeth.

“Seven NI dairy farms with an average of 100 cows are currently for sale. We used to say that farmers were asset rich and cash poor. Now a lot of them are asset poor and cash poor. It’s a terrible situation.”

Dairy farming debt

The group said it would meet with representatives of the main milk buying co-ops in Northern Ireland very soon on the “serious issue of below market farmgate milk prices”.

“They are paying 22p/litre for October milk when they should be paying 30p/litre of even 35p/litre plus bonuses,” said Mr Taylor.

“In short, the processors and the retailers have got the money and the farmers have got the debt.”

The theme of any strike action would be “stay at home with your milk”, the group said. It would not involve blocking roads or throwing milk away in public places.

Match-funding appeal

The group has appealed to Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) to join them in a “united front” to demand sustainable milk prices and that the NI Assembly match funds the £4.8m dairy farmers in Northern Ireland currently receive from the EU dairy aid package.

John Martin, Holstein UK NI spokesman, said: “The threat of strike action is there if there is no movement (in milk prices) from processors or our other demand on advance notice of prices.

“However, all four groups must agree to any strike before one is actively called.”

Meanwhile, Dairy UK (NI) has blocked future engagement with the UFU after it criticised processors’ failure to pass on better milk market returns to farmers.