France:
Danone proposes including production costs in milk price
Promising news from dairy giant Danone: According to France-Presse (AFP) from september 29, food corporation Danone has offered to include the production costs of dairy farmers in the milk price. Danone says it will introduce production costs into the milk price progressively over the next three years, starting from October 1. At the same time, buying volume would also be adjusted, which could lead a reduction in the amount of milk bought in certain cases.
Meeting of stakeholders in the milk production chain
French Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll has invited all stakeholders involved in the milk production chain to a meeting on October 1 to discuss the current economic situation and milk prices. The aim of the meeting was to take stock of the currently implemented measures, which were decided upon by industry, processors and producers on July 24.
Germany:
Persistent protests by farmers have effect: Discount supermarkets raise prices
The ongoing protests by dairy farmers in recent weeks are finally bearing fruit. After a price rise by Lidl, Aldi and Netto have also followed suit: On September 30, Aldi announced that they would raise the price of milk by 4 cents and of butter by 10 cents as of October 1, in reaction to the exceptionally difficult situation of dairy farmers.
In the last few days, there were numerous protests across the country, for example:
- Blockades at the DMK dairy in Edewecht, northern Germany (September 30)
- demonstration at the CSU retreat in Kloster Banz (September 23)
- A number of blockades of retail distribution centres in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia
Demonstrations during the conference of agriculture ministers in Fulda (30.9.-2.10.2015)
According to a press release by our german member organisation AbL, 21 civil society organisations supported the demands of dairy farmers in Germany and appealed to Agriculture Minister Schmidt for immediate action in an open letter (in German). More specifically, they urged the German agriculture minister to actively promote a short-term reduction in milk volume at EU level. Furthermore, the Federal government should insist in Brussels that the almost 900 million euros collected in super levies in the last year of quotas should be paid as a bonus to those milk producers who quickly reduce their production by multiple percentage points.
EMB member organisation BDM is active during the agriculture ministers conference in Fulda with a number of demonstrations. Today, on Friday, October 2, there is going to be a mass rally with tractors. Further information is available on the BDM website.
Belgium:
Protest again the EU-Canada trade agreement
On September 25, the Flemish Milk Board (FMB) participated in a demonstration against CETA, the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada. This demonstration was staged in front of the Flemish parliament in Brussels. It is feared that farmers will be played off against each other, with both sides losing in the end. Furthermore, CETA also serves a template for the TTIP with the USA.
Video of the rally
Call from FMB (in Dutch)
FMB Facebook
Canada:
Dairy farmers protest in Canada against trade agreement
Even Canadian milk producers have taken to the streets to protest against trade agreements, in this case the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). On September 29, hundreds of milk producers gathered with their cows and tractors in front of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa. Canadian milk producers fear that cheap imports will destroy the Canadian volume management system, while it will be impossible for them to compete on international markets because of the size of their farms.
Reuters article
EU:
Agriculture Commissioner Hogan doesn’t think that many farmers are producing at below the cost of production
Cynical statement from Agriculture Commissioner Hogan in a TV-Iinterview with viEUws: “I don’t think that many farmers are producing at below the cost of production. They say that they are, but the end of the day they continue to produce”. In any business if you are producing at below production costs, it is going to create difficulties for business, says Hogan. In this interview, EU Agriculture Commissioner Hogan outlines the details of a ?€500 million aid package for farmers, describes plans to combat unfair trading practices and says an expert group will look at new instruments to tackle price volatility.
