Farmers’ milk import idea is just ‘blue skies thinking’
Saturday 1st November 2008, 9:29AM GMT.
FARMERS have said their remarks relating to milk imports have been taken out of context.
Guernsey Farmers’ Association spokesman James Watts (pictured) said the suggestion that members would welcome imports could not be further from the truth. Imports, in the short-term, would undoubtedly destroy the dairy industry, he said.
In a letter to States members ahead of its debate last Wednesday and Thursday over delivery rights for milkmen, farmers said imports could be one long-term option for the dairy to support and develop a more robust future.
‘This was blue skies thinking for maybe 10 or 15 years’ time, and it has been misinterpreted,’ said Mr Watts.
‘The letter touched on imports as a possible vision which would concentrate more on by-products [such as cheese and yoghurt] and allow the possibility of cheaper milk imports which would provide greater choice to the consumer.’
But he said the industry was not ready to face that scenario now nor would it be until these complex issues had been thoroughly researched by the review process.
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The price of milk is not subsidised in the UK. If the local Farmer can’t compete in the Market place he should get out. What right has anyone to prevent the inport of a product which is better value for the people than its more expensive localy produced counterpart.
Throughout my working life I never had the privldge of a protected income but there again “I was not born i Guernsey”
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Don’t just took at the cost of the pint to you to buy but the cost of that pint to the environment to produce.
Far better to support locally produced goods with much lower environmental footprints then import that could cost more to both the environment and also the local community in more than one way.
I personally feel it is better to pay more and get sustainability and good produce then pay less because something somewhere will sure be paying more.
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