PROTESTS over lamb and milk will continue against supermarkets which do not listen, a Llandygai farmer has said. 

Michael Jones, who is negotiating on behalf of farmers across North Wales, arranged to continue talks with Asda and Tesco again this week and has said he will back further large scale protests at the distribution centre of a supermarket because his offers of discussion have gone unanswered. 

He and many other farmers around the UK have been pushing in recent weeks for a solution to what has been called a crisis in the meat and dairy industry, caused largely by the importation of cheap lamb from New Zealand and the falling prices which supermarkets are paying farmers for their milk. 

Mr Jones said: “We’re not moving until we’re guaranteed a meeting. If they won’t talk to us, what choice do we have? 

“We’re going down to the abattoir with Tesco and we’re going to see what cuts of meat they use, following it through the process and see how they got to that price. 

“Asda, ALDI, Lidl and Morrisons have moved the milk prices up. Now they’ve got to move the lamb up too. 

“It’s all very well having meetings but we’ve got to see some answers - things have got to move on.” 

At a meeting of UK farming ministers and farming union presidents, held at Defra’s office in London on Monday, August 17, a series of actions were agreed which retailers and the food service sector should commit to urgently, including clearer country of origin labelling, clarity on sourcing policies and others. 

Following the meeting, environment secretary Elizabeth Truss said: “It was an encouraging meeting and I believe we can help build stronger foundations that give the industry the long-term stability and commercial opportunities it needs to manage global volatility.” 

On the same day, Aberconwy MP Guto Bebb met with representatives of the Farmers’ Union of Wales to discuss challenges facing Welsh farmers. 

FUW president Glyn Roberts said: “We had a very productive meeting and continued to stress that current price levels are not sustainable. Mr Bebb has agreed to write to DEFRA Minister George Eustice MP, to see what short term support the sector can be offered whilst a long-term strategy is developed.”