The milk market is on fire. This is why milk producers from all over Europe came to Brussels to call attention to their unbearable situation and symbolically put out the fire on the milk markets. For a long time, milk prices have not been able to cover production costs and thousands of dairy farmers were already obliged to give up their farms.
Brussels, 26 and 27 November 2012. Around 2500 members of the European Milk Board (EMB), the European federation of milk producers’ organisations, as well as of supporting organisations are protesting today and tomorrow with about 1000 tractors in the European capital, in the framework of the demonstration “1000 tractors to Brussels”. The aim of the protests is to call on decision-makers to take their responsibilities and decide on efficient rules for the market. In order to underline their demands, the dairy farmers will stay for two days and spend the night in a big marquee built in front of the European Parliament. “The fact that so many colleagues from all over Europe came to demonstrate shows how important the future of rural agriculture serving society’s needs is for them. This future can only be secured thanks to a flexible supply management through a European Monitoring Agency”, said EMB-President Romuald Schaber.
The current overproduction sets European milk markets on fire and the European Institutions have to take appropriate measures in order to distinguish it. This is what farmers wanted to show symbolically by spraying milk on the buildings of the European Parliament with fire hoses. A commemoration on the closure of farms in Europe is also planned. With these actions dairy farmers aim at calling the attention to their dramatic situation and on the necessity for clear and adequate measures to be taken in the framework of the reform of the EU's Common organisation of agricultural markets.
Romuald Schaber underlined that: "The closure of farms in Europe affects our society and has to be ended. It is caused by absurd overproduction, which puts pressure on prices. Actions to commemorate our colleagues who had to abandon their farm cannot become the rule."
