dairy farming and WI

April 23rd
The local craft group spent the afternoon finishing off the bags that we had been making and being instructed on the high-tec of modern sewing machines.This was a revelation to me--all those computerised programmes to help the dressmaker or embroiderer to perform wonders.I quite expected the machine to speak up to tell one when the cotton was about to run out, like the modern car reporting on the remaining petrol in its tank. Perhaps these machines sing out "Call that a straight line?!" I'm only jealous because the amount of use I would make of mine would no way justify the expense.
Later in the afternoon it was a dash to a meeting to finalise arrangements for the Great Milk Debate. We admired the display that the WI members had put together on historical farming in the local area.It is rather unsettling to discover how recently history seems to start these days.I am sure this display will create a lot of interest on the night.I wish we knew how many people were coming!
April 25th
Winslow WI hosted the first of three Great Milk Debates (as suggested by NFWI in conjunction with the NFU) to be held in Bucks. Speakers were Tim Whitlock, the NFU secretary for the North Bucks area, Simon Bates the director of Dairy UK and Nigel Stacey, a local farmer. Local food producers were displaying their wares around the hall and several local retailers had provided items either for the refreshments or for the raffle. Over 120 people from the north of the county were present and it was a really lively affair.
WI is famous or infamous for being a very practical organisation.The purpose of the national Great Milk Debate was to hammer out some plan of action to try to help the struggling dairy industry.It was quite in keeping with WI history that we should be holding such a debate because the WI movement started originally in Canada to improve the hygiene of milk production following the death of the infant child of Adelaide Hoodless.
We listened to very good speakers and they fielded some good questions. We heard statements from the floor and the Chairman read out prepared statements from various supermarket chains. To sum up:-
It seems legitimate to blame the supermarkets for being able to call the tune on sales of dairy produce but that is not the total answer. The supermarkets have and do take notice of what their customers demand. They have started to stock Fairtrade products, local produce, organic foods, specialist dietary foods and even begun to reduce packaging. They have definitely taken notice of this joint venture of the WI and the NFU. They are running scared to promise an extra 4p per litre to the farmer, but the date of implementation appears hazy. Even then, the profit margin is pretty good.
There needs to be some sort of investigation into the dairy sector as a whole to ensure that the dairy farmer is protected. Hopefully that would alter the balance of commodity product sales and slow the present rate of dairy farm sales.
But we , the consumers must change our ways too. We must think LOCAL. We have shown that we will pay extra for Fairtrade coffees etc. and organic milk. We could go back to local milk deliveries and perhaps ask the dairyman to increase the local produce that they deliver too.
It seems we would like DEFRA to get its act together. We want the Government to lessen the bureaucratic hold on the farmer, to enquire closely into the monopoly of the supermarkets' powers to go back on contracts which may be short-term to them but must by their very nature be long-term for the farmer.
We, as human beings, value our countryside and recognise the role of the farmer in our communities as an employer and in maintaining the environment. Farming has had a bad press over recent decades and some of the blame for this must be laid at the environmentalists' doors. No farming, no green and pleasant land.
So LOCAL and VOCAL. Over 90 people signed the petitions and promised to send postcards to their MPs and Euro MPs and talk to retailers.I am absolutely confident that these meetings will make the Government and the retailers sit up and take notice.I was a little surprised that on the eve of local elections the invited district councillors were not present but perhaps they thought that it was not relevant to their interests!