Scotland Tonight: The 'dire straits' of farmers after cuts to milk price

Cuts to the milk price paid to farmers is "the final nail in the coffin", warns a union boss.

Dozens of Scottish dairy farmers attended a summit in London on Wednesday warning the UK government that cuts to milk prices could drive them out of business.

The reductions of up to 2p per litre from August follow cuts for many dairy farmers imposed in the spring, and the NFU is warning that producing a litre of milk now costs many farmers significantly more than what they are paid for it.

The farming industry is also preparing for the worst harvest in decades because of the wet weather.

Speaking on Scotland Tonight NFU Scotland's Allan Bowie said that the milk price cut is the final straw for farmers.

He said: "I think there’s a huge pent up anger and frustration that this price cut come August is the final nail in the coffin and it’s not often farmers come out to demonstrate.

"What we heard today was 2500 people who took the time having milked their cows in the morning to come into London and just explain the dire straits they are in.”

He added: "The whole supply chain needs to understand why we need a fair price for the milk here."

Also on Wednesday’s programme was The Scottish Farmer's Alasdair Fletcher and Sandy Ramsay from Scottish Agricultural College.

Alasdair Fletcher said: "The fundamental problem is the contracts that the farmers have with their milk buyers. These contracts are basically a disgrace and have been since day one.

"It’s like going into a shop to buy a television with a £400 price tag on it and you give the shop owner £300 and walk out the door. That’s what happens with milk.

"The farmers are contracted to supply but the buyers can set the price at any time."

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