dairy contracts legislation

Vale of York dairy farmer and NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins said consolidation and investment can be viewed as a ‘good thing’, but the lack of competition for milk was a ‘bad thing’ for producers

As former NFU dairy board chair Michael Oakes embarks on a new challenge in beef, FG's chief reporter Rachael Brown speaks to him about leaving dairy and the future of the sector

NFU Scotland vice president Andrew Connon said: "Any changes to this area of the hard-won milk contract legislation have the potential undermine a crucial cornerstone of the regulations around pricing and exclusivity and act against the best interests of dairy farmers"

Ten dairy farmers in Dumfries and Galloway and two in Ayrshire have been given 12 months' notice

New NFU dairy board chair Paul Tompkins said that if farmers knew what was influencing their milk prices, they would understand the ‘risk profile' of their milk and be able to make ‘business decisions' based on that

Outgoing NFU dairy board chair, Michael Oakes said: "They [the processors and retailers] need us and we need them. While we will not agree all the time, by any means, I think actually working together means we are so much stronger"

It follows years of campaigning from the UK farming unions