European Dairy Farmers Protest Over Milk Devaluation Policies
On May 31, around 20 tractors will spray milk across a field in Germany as part of a protest organized by European dairy farmers against what they describe as the 'devaluation' of milk. This event, taking place in East Frisia, is timed just before World Milk Day on June 1. The protest, arranged by the German Dairy Farmers' Association (BDM) and the European Milk Board (EMB), aims to highlight the economic challenges faced by dairy farmers due to current market conditions.
The protest is a response to what the BDM and EMB call the 'politically accepted devaluation of food.' In a statement, they expressed that while World Milk Day celebrates the value of milk, many farms are struggling with the economic devaluation they face. The organizations argue that the ongoing 'milk crisis' is not a result of individual farm failures but is driven by political decisions and inaction.
The statement from the BDM and EMB highlights several challenges, including rising costs for energy, feed, machinery, and construction, while the price paid to producers remains largely controlled by dairies, retailers, and the global market. They argue that individual farms lack market power, forcing them to reduce costs and increase production, which in turn depresses prices further.
The organizations stress that the crisis requires a collective, politically organized approach. They advocate for temporary and coordinated volume reductions to relieve market pressures without placing the burden on individual farms. Existing EU-level crisis instruments, such as voluntary volume reduction programs, are not being effectively utilized, according to the groups.
The protestors are calling for the activation of these voluntary reduction measures and for binding contracts with clear terms on price, quantity, quality, and duration before delivery. Additionally, they demand genuine reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Market Organisation.
The BDM and EMB criticize the current political framework, which they say prioritizes the interests of the food industry over those of farmers. They argue that this framework results in cheap raw materials being prioritized over sustainable farming practices.
