Belgium:
On the night of Tuesday, August 18, more than 600 Belgian dairy farmers with about 600 tractors protested at Liege regional airport with blockades against various companies. According to a report by Grenzecho, these companies are symbolic of the poorly directed, solely profit-driven policy. Belgian farmers are suffering the consequences of over production and used this action to highlight the large volume of foreign imports. News agency Belga reported that the police had to use tear gas as the farmers tried to force their way into the company buildings. Images of the blockade.
 

Spain:
On August 18, our Spanish member association OPL met with the government, Galician authorities and trade unions. OPL had made it clear in their press release that they would not sign any agreement that proposed a milk price lower than 34 cents per litre. OPL is going to continue with their planned protests and intensify their actions. Another large demonstration has been announced for today, 20 August in Vilalba. <link fileadmin dokumente press_release emb-allgemein download file>OPL press release (in Spanish).

 
France:
On August 18, a few hundred farmers from the regional farmers' association (FDSEA) and from among young farmers protested against the Savencia Group in four supermarkets in Rodez (Southern France). According to a report by Le Parisien, the protestors affixed labels with the slogan "Made from milk sold at a loss - farmers strangled, Savencia fattened" (« Fabriqué avec du lait vendu à perte - éleveur étranglé, Savencia engraissé ») on a number of the Savencia Group's cheese products.
 
 
Germany:
- Following a call from the Bundesverband Deutscher Milchviehhalter (BDM), bonfires were lit in over 100 dairy farms all across Ostfriesland on Monday evening (17.08.2015). The farmers used the bonfires to draw attention to the disastrous state of the dairy market. Feed producers and distributors for agricultural equipment also participated. Images bonfires.
 
- Farmers from the Bavarian Famers' Federation (Bayrischer Bauernverband) protested in front of an Aldi supermarket on August 18 against the price war between discount supermarkets. Food stuffs, especially milk are increasing sold at dumping prices.
 
 
EU
In light of the difficult situation faced by dairy farmers in the UK, the European Commission has spoken in favour of fair prices for milk producers. The extraordinary Agriculture Council on September 7 is an opportunity to address this issue. A spokesperson of the European Commission said on Tuesday in Brussels that the price chain needs to be analysed, so as to strengthen the negotiating position of producers. He also said that there are ongoing informal talks and enquiries between Member States and the European Commission, though no official application for aid has been received to date.
LIVE EC Midday press briefing of 18/08/2015