Reading about the closures of more than 1,000 dairy farms in this country due to a dramatic price decline down to about 10 pence a litre which is less than the cost of production is on the one hand definitely bad news for farmers who struggle to just survive. However, on the other hand considering the fact that consuming milk has a hazardous impact on one’s health it challenges people to look for alternatives with outstanding health benefits such as almond milk or coconut milk just to name a few. It’s still a tragedy that dairy products are praised to be healthy although the exact opposite is the case.
“Nearly one in 10 dairy farms across England and Wales have closed in the last three years, an industry body has reported.
More than 1,000 have closed since June 2013, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
North Yorkshire lost 89 farms, the highest total of any county, while Berkshire saw the greatest rate of decline with a third of farms closing.
The board said it was concerned by the milk price paid to farmers.
An AHDB spokesman said some farmers were still paid about 10 pence a litre less than the cost of production, despite protests by the National Farmers’ Union last year.
The board said North Yorkshire had lost more than one in seven farms over the period, while Berkshire had lost seven of its 22 farms.
In total, 1,002 farms have closed over the three-year period.
Yorkshire dairy farmer Jeremy Holmes said traditional dairy farming was “in a mess”, with “far too much milk on the market”.
He said he had survived by buying a vending machine to sell raw milk on his farm at Denby Dale near Huddersfield at £1 per litre – about three times the price paid by supermarkets.
Regulations mean raw milk can only be sold on farms, which means supermarkets cannot compete with producers.
Mr Holmes added: “You are connecting yourself with the consumer directly, and it’s literally the freshest milk from the cows.”
Supply and demand has led to the cost of milk plummeting across the UK.
Number of dairy farm closures between Jul 2013 – Jul 2016
Farmer-owned dairy Arla has teamed up with Asda and is launching a £1.50 four-pint carton of milk, where 25p will go back to the dairy co-operative.
David Christensen, whose Oxfordshire farm produces 5,000,000 litres of milk for Arla a year, said: “It has been really tough over the last two years, supply and demand have really been out of balance.”
Read the full article at bbc.com!
Sad for the people but its inevitable. When u start to give people mire than just one choice u start to also educate them. Knowledge is power and many have realized that a glass of milk or a burger is not worth the life of an aninal. Not to mention tye health benefits of a plant based diet are incredible
Tell them to grow Almonds
Good!
We need farmers to grow food, they would make more money
Absolutely
They dont make any money from milk anyway!
Great!!!
good
Sorry but feel no sorry for this farmers, I feel sad for the animals who have a horrible life because of people who need their milk and meat, let them close all dairy farms and open vegetable farms!
Good!
All things have a begining and an end. The dairy industry is reaching its end. Time to evolve they have had a very long run, have made their money on the souls of trillions upon trillions of animals. Just wish we were educated sooner as to the manipulation of societies belief that dairy was actually goid for us when it is not. Think of how many life’s could if been spared
Yaaaaaaaay!!!!!
no they’re not.l, dairy farms are doing just fine. ive got 2 gallons of milk in my fridge right now
good
Education is power!
shame! hahahahahahaha
GOOD!!!!!!
Good
Boo hoo
Ettienne Heydenrych
Cow’s milk is for calves, NOT for humans. So glad to read that dairy farms are closing. Dairy farmers value money more than the welfare of animals. SICK.
Woohoo
Bye bye dairy! I will not miss your cruel industry!
Good! Dairy is cruel and unnecessary
YAY YAY PRAISE GOD! WooooHoooo this makes me so happy. God Bless the cows!
Me too! The people should have got an education.
Amen
Can’t wait for these cruel farms to be shut down! Hope they all go to hell in a hand basket for the extreme cruelty they have perpetuated on millions of animals, and continue to! Veal, milk, tortured cows! How these “farmers” sleep at night, I will never know!
Excellent news!
Close them all
Great news
Now safe farms need to rescue the dairy cows because their fate will be dinner.
And cow’s milk and all animal products are really bad for you.. I haven’t had any meat for almost a year and went Vegan about 3 months ago.. When doctors say eat a good diet they really mean fruits and veggies!!!!!
How bout creating cruelty free dairy?
Good !! Grow organic veg instead
These farmers could always grow crops. Soya, beans and veg
Good
So many heartless vegans. Never mind the fact there are families who were already struggling, who can no longer provide for their families. This is why I never call myself a vegan. So disheartening to see these animal lives being favored over humans. Can’t even take you all seriously. Wow.
This is why vegans are frowned upon by others…
I live in Ireland. Dairy land! Now that my eyes are opened its so sad. And there’s nothing I can do!
Good!!! Those farmers need to switch it up. Start growing almond trees or other nut trees. The world needs them more than puss filled milk.
Yayyyy
Good 🙂
What’s heartless, as a business owner they should be aware of the future of their product and adjust. Apparently, they weren’t paying attention to what was going on with their product or refused to believe it was actually happening. There are so many alternatives available now for farmers they could of easily switched to a produce base farm. Oh, well don’t feel sorry for them. Change is coming if they can’t see it then it’s their fault.
Milk is unhealthy, unethical and unsustainable. You’re surprised that vegans don’t feel bad for people who promote unhealthy, unethical and unsustainable industries?
Yeeeeeeee cant wait til there all shut down and all animals live the life they were ment to live in peace and harmony
Great awesome lets close them all… put the antiquate cruel behavior out of business
Wooooohhhh change happens slowly!
Find any other different business! Wasn’t sad for the south after the civil war, not sad now either!
Yay!
then the us govt bails them out instead of understanding supply and demand
they can choose to firm something else. about supply and demand. progress. hides them in government build out the dairy farmers anyway
I would pick an innocent abused animal over a farmer and his family any day!
You can call me heartless if you want. I call myself compassionate!:)
So be it. Farmers should use the land to grow plants (i.e. food).
Cypris Farkas Kis
Good!
If people had treated thier animals better perhaps karma would not have reared its head
Reinvestment assistance needs to happen for the sweaty brows of American farm owners that are under informed about how to move their life saving a or liquidity into more deversified options than just their acres.
Good. Do something else. Something useful
Absolute nonsense. A troll.
well if they have land they can do other types of crops I think when you have to be creative you will be more so, its a win win for all
Good
Good! Dairy is the most unethical unsustainable food source !! So unnessesary !
You are a complete idiot if you are actually sad for these people who profit off raping abusing and stealing milk from a mother and her babies . I seriously hope you don’t have children!!
James Gowan
Hip hip horary
They’ll find another career, and one theycan be proud of! No more subsidizing industries that we don’t need!
They can find another job, just like anyone else!! WHats wrong is us being forced to financially support an industry that does so much harm.
Awesome!!
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