Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Tom Gordon is demanding the government to take urgent action to protect British dairy farmers, as news emerges that some suppliers have slashed the prices farmers receive for milk by up to 18%.
Tom is calling for wholesale reform of the regulatory process that governs the dairy farm supply chain. Both the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) currently regulate the industry, which has created a fragmented and weakened regulatory approach. Liberal Democrats are calling for a new empowered, unified regulator with the resources and scope to properly enforce standards and ensure prices are fair.
One supplier, Parkham Farms, has announced a 8p per litre drop for November milk to 35.5ppl – a cut of 18%. Freshways meanwhile, has announced a cut of 6ppl and dairy co-op Arla Foods confirmed that its October milk price will drop by 1.7ppl to 45.34ppl.
House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats earlier this year has revealed the dire situation many dairy farms already find themselves in. Since 2015, the total number of dairy farm holdings in England has decreased from 12,643 to 8,738 in 2024 – down by just over 30%. In that time, dairy livestock numbers have decreased from 1,131,494 to 1,045,819.
Farmers in Harrogate and Knaresborough are already facing the threat of the family farm tax and cuts to basic payments.
Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Tom Gordon said:
At a time when farmers in Harrogate and Knaresborough are already having to deal with the fallout of summer drought, cuts to basic payments and the looming threat of the government’s family farm tax, these price cuts will come as yet another kick in the teeth.
Enough is enough. There can be absolutely no justification for cutting prices for dairy farmers by such a scale. British farmers put food on our table, they are the backbone of the rural economy and are fundamental to our national security.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new unified and empowered regulator with the teeth to stand up to the big corporations and ensure British dairy farmers across Harrogate and Knaresborough finally get a fair deal.
