Dairy farmers from across the UK have been "pushed to the brink" by cuts to the price of milk, a farmers' union representative has told a summit.

About 2,000 farmers gathered in London to protest at the latest cuts by processors of up to 2p a litre.

The NFU's Meurig Raymond said: "Society has to recognise what these dairy farmers have been put through by a market place that doesn't work".

The government said it hoped to see a "fair deal".

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said he was close to getting agreement on a revised voluntary code for dairy contracts from milk processors.

Mr Paice said the average price of a pint was 49p, of which 16p went to the farmers, and the price cuts were "a massive burden for the vast majority of dairy farmers".

There is more here :-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18792132

Dairy farmers have protested against milk price cuts for a second night by blockading two processing plants.

They used tractors and trailers to blockade the Robert Wiseman dairy in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, and a plant at Foston in Derbyshire.

After Thursday night's protests, the Co-operative supermarket chain said it would increase the premium it paid on milk to farmers within its group.

However, we have to get out of the idea of turning up in £150,000 tractors to protest. Even if they are on the 'Never Never'

More here from the BBC:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18930618

I'm with the farmers. I'm no expert in these matters, but what I've heard in the media doesn't sound good for them and I know life's been tough for dairy farmers for some time.

Direct action seems to work for French farmers, I hope ours get somewhere.

Indeed HoneyBee,

Milk prices have dropped from 29p pl to 27 pl this year. With costs raising by at least 15 % this year most farmers now lose money producing milk.

The only thing good about it is the milk money coming in every month is a plus sign on the cash flow.

A very poor state of affairs as we now have more imports coming in from cheaper supplies abroad

Lex