Dairy farmers petition presented to local MP

Phil Edwards has this week presented a 1000-name petition to local MP Elfyn Llwyd calling for supermarkets to pay farmers a fair price for their milk, so that the dairy industry in Wales can be sustained for future generations.

The petition, circulated throughout Aberconwy, has attracted widespread support and is the latest stage in a campaign on behalf of hard-pressed dairy farmers launched by Phil at the Royal Welsh Show last year .

The signatories included those people who signed Phil’s petition online and on Facebook and was presented by Mr Edwards to local MP Elfyn Llwyd , as they met up again with dairy farmers this week at Y Wern farm, Eglwysbach in the Conwy valley.

Phil also highlighted the campaign in a meeting with Rowen Young Farmers club at Tynygroes recently.

Phil Edwards said:

"The response from local people to the petition showing support for their dairy farmers has been excellent and I thank them for that. People understand that farmers cannot carry on producing milk for them at a loss and all that they want is a fair deal from the supermarket giants.

“The survival of the dairy industry in Wales is vitally important. It is just plain stupid for us to import cheap milk from abroad when we have world-class producers on our doorstep who contribute so much to our rural communities. We cannot stand by whilst so many farmers are being bankrupted by greedy supermarkets. We must protect dairy farming for future generations.”

The campaign is now to be stepped up a gear and taken to the UK Government in Westminster by Elfyn Llwyd MP who will be laying down an Early Day Motion seeking support from MP’s across the House of Parliament.

Elfyn Llwyd, MP for Meirionydd Nant Conwy, added:

“The principle of setting up a Supermarket Ombudsman has now been accepted by the Government. The Early Day Motion will seek to secure cross-party support to ensure that the anomalous position of our dairy farmers is addressed by the new ombudsman whenever he or she is appointed.

“This has been an important campaign which demonstrates the support our farmers have in their community and we must ensure that the Welsh dairy industry survives in the future. We can only do that if they are paid a fair price for their produce.”