The long awaited report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) into the activities of Milk Marque has now been published. In the report it states that Milk Marque has abused it's position and driven prices higher and forced the consumer to pay more than it should. This comes as rather a sick joke to dairy farmers who have seen their milk price fall by 25% over the last two years. Dairy farmers now get the lowest milk price in Europe, but the price the consumer pays has hardly fallen at all.
Urgent talks are now taking place between Milk Marque, NFU and the Government. At the moment, Milk Marque is being stopped from proceeding with it's plans to go into processing. This puts Milk Marque into a very weak negotiating position. The dairies are able to offer farmers more then Milk Marque can, so farmers who are desperate for a little more cash are reluctantly leaving Milk Marque which in turn weakens Milk Marque's position. I am seriously concerned about the future of Milk Marque, and am wondering whether I should look to sell my milk elsewhere. In the Chairman's Annual Report on Agenda 21 reference was made to the excellent new Memorial Hall extension and I am sure we all agree that it will be a tremendous benefit to the local community. What I do not understand, and perhaps someone could enlighten me, is how the Hall extension will be a key facility for helping regenerate the local economy, and also how I might benefit from this economic regeneration.
If you keep an eye on what I am doing, you will have noticed that, contrary to what I said last month, we had not done our second cut of silage when last month's issue came out. I am pleased to say it has now been done and the grass is growing well for the third cut in mid August. When you move to a new area you have to learn the local ways. One problem I have experienced how to stop the cows ripping the hedges as I take them along the road. I thought I had the problem solved when I put barbed wire up. It wasn't long before I was told I couldn't so that and that I must take it down. What do I do then? I asked. ‘Cover it with cow dung’ came the reply. What, slurry you mean? ‘Yes, that's right’.
I have now put some slurry on the damaged hedge bits and it does seem to be working, but I think it will soon need some more. It just shows, we outsiders have a lot to learn! I must say when we were doing the job we did get some strange looks from the grockles that came along.
We are now in full swing calving cows, with 12 calves in the last week. The cows are now strip grazing the turnips, and the better weather has made the grass grow well. The cows are milking well, the sun is shining and everything at the moment is going well apart from the fact that we are not making any money.