Lib Dem MP calls on Government to protect Dairy Farmers

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Jun 2009

An early day motion (EDM) has been submitted by Lib Dem MP Tim Farron asking the Government to step in and protect farmers following the collapse of the Dairy Farmers of Great Britain Group at the beginning of June. The company called in the receivers at the start of June owing over £50 million pounds to the 1800 member farmers.

Commenting Scott Collins, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South Northamptonshire, said "This is a devastating blow for the affected dairy farmers across the region and South Northamptonshire. It comes at a time where pressures on farms of all types are considerable. Government must act swiftly to make sure that the farmers are not seized upon by companies using unfair practices to pick off farmers products at a cut price rate disadvantaging farmers financial sustainability in the long term"

The motion calls on the Government to help the member farmers by underwriting the payment of the monies owing to farmers which would have been due from the 'May Milk Cheques' or forcing the groups bankers to pay the cheques.

The motion also asks the Government to intervene to ensure that the affected dairy farmers are not exploited by other milk buyers trying to purchase milk at sub-market prices; and that the Government endorses the Farmers Guardian petition which urges the dairy industry's biggest customers to both buy British and to ensure that dairy farmers receive a fair return for their produce.

The motion will need 200 MP's to sign the motion before it gets debated as a motion in the House of Commons. Scott Collins has also written to the current MP for Daventry (Which currently cover South Northants) Tim Boswell urging him to support this motion and the affected dairy farmers.

The text of the motion is as follows:

DAIRY FARMERS OF BRITAIN 09.06.2009

Submitted by Farron, Timothy

That this House is appalled by the collapse of Dairy Farmers of Britain which went into receivership owing £50 million to its 1,800 members; is deeply concerned that the impact on the UK dairy industry and on individual dairy farmers and their families will be devastating; deplores the banks' deliberate timing of the calling in of the loan to Dairy Farmers of Britain, causing the calling in of the receivers to maximise the benefit to secured creditors at the expense of those member farmers'

May milk cheques; calls on the Government to underwrite the payments that Dairy Farmers of Britain were due to pay to dairy farmers for milk supplied in May or to force Dairy Farmers of Britain's bankers to pay the May milk cheques; also calls on the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Prime Minister to intervene to ensure that buyers do not exploit stricken dairy farmers by paying sub-market prices; and endorses the Farmers Guardian petition which urges the dairy industry's biggest customers to both buy British and to ensure that dairy farmers receive a fair return for their produce.

Some East Midlands MP's have already signed up - you can see a list of those who have at

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=38801&SESSION=899