“Booths stand by their promise and commit to paying the highest farm gate price for milk in the market”, said Edwin Booth.
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The protests started when milk processors Arla, First Milk and Gloucestershire based Dairy Crest said they would cut the price they pay farmers.
“And while fresh liquid milk makes up 50% of the dairy market there is an urgent need for more value added dairy processing capacity for the rest of the milk produced so that farmers can turn their focus to producing milk for value added products such as cheese and butter”.
The number of dairy farmers in the UK was estimated to be at 25,000 in 2000.
Milk prices have been falling steadily, with many farmers warning they are in a “desperate” situation.
The protesters targeted Morrisons, Tesco and Lidl, taking part in what they described as the “Milk Trolley Challenge”.
NFU President Meurig Raymond told Sky News the protesting farmers may have taken things too far.
“If the farmers exit the industry, then British food may not be on the supermarket shelves in months and years to come”.
Although it seems unusual, the protest in Stafford is just one of many that have taken place around the country, as anger grows in the dairy farming community over the decreasing prices that farmers are paid for their milk.
According to the National Farmers Union some farmers are now receiving milk prices of around 15p/litre, while the average cost of production is nearer 30p/litre.
Their own customers, the great British public are telling them they are prepared to pay more to keep British farming profitable and going forward.
Currently, normal supermarket prices range from 89p to £1.
Northern Ireland has seen the biggest falls in price paid to farmers, with the average price for June 2015 at 19.85ppl, a decrease of 1.03ppl or 4.9% compared with the previous month.
The four main unions, the NFU Cymru, the NFU, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers Union, will meet in London.
A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that ministers “maintain a regular dialogue with farming unions and industry”.
In response to the action an Asda spokesperson said: ‘Our milk is supplied by the Arla farmer cooperative.
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This comes as farmers have continued ramping up action against retailers over the weekend, with further incidences of “Milk Trolley Challenges” where milk aisles were emptied by farmers.
