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 BBC Wales's Wesley Dodd"Protests are planned at dairies across Wales"  real 28k  BBC Wales's Sue Cass"Farmers leaders say they'll starve the dairies of milk unless prices improve"  real 28kProtesting farmer David Nicholas"We're doing more and more for less and less, we can only tighten our belts for so long and only for so much" real 28k |
Milk protests continue across Wales
Farmers in Monmouthshire dumped tankers full of milk
Protests by Welsh dairy farmers have continued with pickets planned across Wales.
The Welsh protesters are angry at the low price that milk is fetching and they say they are being backed by farmers right across Britain.
The Welsh protesters are angry at the low price that milk is fetching and they say they are being backed by farmers right across Britain.
It is a waste that is necessary to bring to the attention of dairies and the general public just what a plight farmers are in  |
Farmer David Nicholas
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Wednesday saw the launch of what was described as a national milk blockade.
Farmers took 20 tankers to a field in Monmouthshire to destroy milk worth more than £8,000 in an attempt to raise public awareness of over lowering prices.
Farmers have been told that milk prices - already at record lows - will be reduced again from April.
Protests have now been taking place at dairies throughout Wales.
The farmers said they wanted to starve dairies of their raw materials to bring them to the negotiating table - even if it means pouring milk away.
Farmer David Nicholas said: "It is a waste that is necessary to bring to the attention of dairies and the general public just what a plight farmers are in."
Mr Nicholas said farm incomes had dropped by a third.
"Seven, eight years ago we were getting 10p a litre more for milk than we are getting now.
"Everyone was making a profit then. Someone is creaming off an extra 10p."
Protest organiser Tony Hack said demonstrations were the only option left to many farmers.
"We are losing money every day now," he said.
"We cannot produce milk for the price they are paying us. Whatever happens we are quite happy to pull the plug and lose a few days' milk."
Across Britain there have been similar scenes as direct action spread to Cheshire.
The Prime Minister has promised an emergency summit with the farmers to hammer out a long-term strategy.
And Farmers Union of Wales President Bob Parry is to hold talks with European Commissioner Franz Fischler at the European Commission Building.
The fear among those protesting is that the talks will come too late to save livelihoods.
Farmers took 20 tankers to a field in Monmouthshire to destroy milk worth more than £8,000 in an attempt to raise public awareness of over lowering prices.
Farmers have been told that milk prices - already at record lows - will be reduced again from April.
Protests have now been taking place at dairies throughout Wales.
The farmers said they wanted to starve dairies of their raw materials to bring them to the negotiating table - even if it means pouring milk away.
Farmer David Nicholas said: "It is a waste that is necessary to bring to the attention of dairies and the general public just what a plight farmers are in."
Mr Nicholas said farm incomes had dropped by a third.
 Tony Blair has promised to meet farmers
|
"Everyone was making a profit then. Someone is creaming off an extra 10p."
Protest organiser Tony Hack said demonstrations were the only option left to many farmers.
"We are losing money every day now," he said.
"We cannot produce milk for the price they are paying us. Whatever happens we are quite happy to pull the plug and lose a few days' milk."
Across Britain there have been similar scenes as direct action spread to Cheshire.
The Prime Minister has promised an emergency summit with the farmers to hammer out a long-term strategy.
And Farmers Union of Wales President Bob Parry is to hold talks with European Commissioner Franz Fischler at the European Commission Building.
The fear among those protesting is that the talks will come too late to save livelihoods.
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