UK Dairy Farmers Urged to Provide Feedback on Milk Pricing Regulations

The Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA) has launched a survey to collect feedback from UK dairy farmers regarding milk pricing and contractual agreements. This initiative is part of the Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024 review. The survey is a response to ongoing volatility in the dairy sector and aims to evaluate the effectiveness of current regulations in ensuring fair compensation for producers.

According to the National Farmers Union (NFU) Dairy Board chair, Ian Harvey, the ASCA's involvement is a constructive step towards addressing the power imbalances between farmers and buyers in the dairy supply chain. Harvey emphasized the importance of proper enforcement of these regulations to restore trust and ensure farmers receive a fair price.

The survey seeks to understand how relationships between producers and purchasers have evolved and whether new rules have resulted in fairer outcomes. Recent concerns raised by farmers include inconsistent application of price changes, the introduction of tiered pricing structures, and limitations on supplying multiple buyers.

Farmers have also reported issues with volume management schemes and contract modifications being implemented with minimal notice. The ASCA has assured that it will monitor developments and investigate any formal complaints that arise.

The feedback collected from this survey, which closes on 20 April, will play a crucial role in shaping the future of milk pricing and contractual systems to better serve farmers' interests.