Dairy farmers going bust

[grahamw48]

Our grasping greedy unpatriotic supermarkets and milk processors are once again putting British farmers out of business. They insist on imposing their gangster-style buying policies on our dairymen in the interests of 'competition' and hiding behind 'market forces' as a way of excusing their reprehensible behaviour.

Well personally I have NEVER been asked how much I'm prepared to pay for what is a staple part of my diet.

I am certainly happy to pay quite a lot more if it means keeping work in THIS country....just in case the clever buyers are interested.

Please don't tell me it is the fault of the EU, or whatever they're calling themselves this year.

[Dedworth]

Is it any coincidence that this is going on a few months after the German outfit Muller bought Robert Wiseman Dairies

[grahamw48]

Good point.

Like they could give two tosses about our farmers and our jobs.

If there was ever another war we would be practically helpless.

[Dedworth]

Good point.

Like they could give two tosses about our farmers and our jobs.

If there was ever another war we would be practically helpless.

I was thinking similarly about all the troops being drafted in for the Olympics nonsense, good job we no longer have the Warsaw Pact ranged against us

[grahamw48]

Huh...we've got enough Fifth Columnists now to keep us busy.

[gWaPito]

Is it any coincidence that this is going on a few months after the German outfit Muller bought Robert Wiseman Dairies

Is it any coincidence the Jewish outfit I work for promptly dumped Wiseman hours later

Milk producers have been under pressure for decades, unfortunately..

.The general public dictate... You only got to look at there sales..surveys not required...

cheap milk isn't the only type on offer..consumers have a choice, for example, gold top from the channel Islands at £ 1 a litre to name just one of at least a dozen other traditional milks....the sales of these are on the up.

[grahamw48]

It's ok these supermarkets battling it out for supremacy and their billions in profits, but if half the country ends up on the dole, we lose the ability and skills to home-produce, and import everything from abroad....what is the point ?

[andy222]

Just another case of selling the country off if you ask me. Thats what privatisation does. The government has not got any control over soaring prices. Foreign companies can charge what they want. We are no longer self sufficient in this country. This is why I am 100% behind the ukba striking. If you ask me the country should be bought to a standstill to get these cretins out of power. Privatise privatise privatise thats all they know. Rich get richer poor get poorer.

[gWaPito]

Unfortunately the growing season here is short...its now possible to supply fruit and veg all year round...when its in season, its used.

This is where the rest of the world comes in handy...before it was Southern Spain although, we still are heavily reliant on them especially through the winter months.

The supermarkets used to be only busy at weekends..not any longer...where I live, everyday its busy not just at one but, all the big named supermarkets...no sign of slowing down either.

As for half the population being unemployed..according to the news unemployment is at 2 million...a fraction of what it was in the late 70's.

This is as close as we are going to get to full employment for years to come in my opinion

[andy222]

Unemployment at 2 million? Your having a laugh. And who owns the supermarkets? British? I dont think so. I know wallmart own asda.

[grahamw48]

I'm not disputing that we now have a wider choice and year-round availability of certain foods...but there is no excuse (other than profit) for importing goods that we're perfectly capable of producing year-round HERE, and dairy products is one of them.

I'm not talking about current (inaccurate anyway) unemployment figures, but what may lay further ahead.

The point is (as Andy has pointed out) that we are gradually, little by little having control of our own affairs and destiny taken away from us by foreign companies who have no loyalty to their British workforce or even to this market.

They thought they were doing great in India with all those new marvellous callcentres, but look what is happening to them now...they're no longer flavour of the month and they are powerless to do anything about it because THEY don't control them, outside powers do.

It is just shameful, humiliating and stupid that an advanced and capable nation such as we are has been allowed to sink so low, both in the education of our youngsters and in the productivity of our industries...those that we have left.

All this guff about the 'global economy', well let's take OUR share back !

I'm sorry, but most of my working life if I didn't go out and 'produce' something...on commission-only pay I might add, then I had no money...simple as.

[stevewool]

farmfoods milk 2x2lts for £1.80 sorry but thats where i buy , then i can put more into my savings to leave this country sooner

[gWaPito]

Unemployment at 2 million? Your having a laugh. And who owns the supermarkets? British? I dont think so. I know wallmart own asda.

Totally serious..2 million unemployed out of a population of near 60 million.

I tried a different trade back in the mid 90's...I couldn't sustain the wage drop...I tried it again in 2005...same result

We gotta take responsibility for our own actions and not blame others.

Btw...if im incorrect on unemployment figures, someone with facts correct me please..ive got big enough shoulders

[Ako Si Jamie]

farmfoods milk 2x2lts for £1.80 sorry but thats where i buy , then i can put more into my savings to leave this country sooner

I don't blame you Steve

[gWaPito]

I'm not disputing that we now have a wider choice and year-round availability of certain foods...but there is no excuse (other than profit) for importing goods that we're perfectly capable of producing year-round HERE, and dairy products is one of them.

I'm not talking about current (inaccurate anyway) unemployment figures, but what may lay further ahead.

The point is (as Andy has pointed out) that we are gradually, little by little having control of our own affairs and destiny taken away from us by foreign companies who have no loyalty to their British workforce or even to this market.

They thought they were doing great in India with all those new marvellous callcentres, but look what is happening to them now...they're no longer flavour of the month and they are powerless to do anything about it because THEY don't control them, outside powers do.

It is just shameful, humiliating and stupid that an advanced and capable nation such as we are has been allowed to sink so low, both in the education of our youngsters and in the productivity of our industries...those that we have left.

All this guff about the 'global economy', well let's take OUR share back !

I'm sorry, but most of my working life if I didn't go out and 'produce' something...on commission-only pay I might add, then I had no money...simple as.

I agree Graham...'global economy'...the only winners there are the major shareholders of the companies taking full advantage of this situation.

Funny enough the ex big cheese of tesco's has stated he wants grammar schools reintroduced.

I suppose we are now getting some of the medicine we dished out using other countries expertise then, selling them down the river...whats that saying 'what goes around, comes around'

We, as a nation are too expensive to produce especially when you compare our labour costs to others.....greedy shareholders again....all at the expense of our once great nation.

[grahamw48]

I went to Grammar School.

Aren't you watching BBCFour...about BritPop in the 90s ?

[gWaPito]

I went to Grammar School.

Aren't you watching BBCFour...about BritPop in the 90s ?

Im presently at work.

I passed the very last eleven plus to be sat at our primary school...1971.

[grahamw48]

Hmm, in July 1971 I was wages clerk in an office in Harrogate with 7 blokes and 100 girls. ...and weekend Hippie.

[CBM]

The Milk Marketing Board was abolished because it fell foul of the EU rule against monopolies.

But the MMB protected dairy farmers against the supermarkets.

So a law against monopoly ends up giving all power to an ologopoly - the half dozen supermarkets.

Have you ever wondered about the cash flow in a supermarket - yoiu pay cash at the till and the supplier gets paid 90 or 120 days later... they build their new buildings on the "float" that they withhold from their suppliers.