Farm shuts dairy over milk price

Mr Cornwell is set to auction his herd and dairy equipment

An East Sussex farmer is selling his entire dairy herd claiming that low prices have forced him to cease production of milk.

John Cornwell, from Barcombe, near Lewes, is set to auction his 254 cows and dairy equipment on Tuesday.

The move ends 114 years of dairy farming by his family at Camoys Court Farm. The farm is now set to diversify, and will look at beef and arable crops.

The National Farmers' Union said it wants better milk prices for farmers.

South East dairy board chairman Neil Cutler said: "Dairy farmers have been faced with some tough business decisions in the past decade."

He said farmers received on average three pence per litre below the cost of production.

And he said dairy farmers in England and Wales were "short-changed to the tune of £285m by processors and retailers between October 2005 and September 2006".