Milk farmers to meet dairies
Producers who have been protesting over low milk prices will meet the dairy firms today
ANGRY milk producers are expected to meet big dairy firms today in a bid to restart negotiations over the prices paid for their milk.
They accuse some of the firms of “stealing” from them by not paying high enough prices.
In recent days farmers belonging to three unions (FNSEA, les Jeunes Agriculteurs and FNPL) have been mounting protest actions such as sticking labels on certain well-known branded milk products in supermarket shelves, asking customers to boycott them.
They had given the dairies up until today to agree to negotiate and, in a conciliatory gesture, have been invited to meetings today by cooperatives Laïta and Sodiaal (which makes Yoplait) and private dairy firms such as Lactalis (who make the President brand of Camembert), Bel (Vache Qui Rit) and Bongrain (Caprice des Dieux).
The unions say they want the firms to stick to pricing levels that were agreed in June 2009, which they say are being disregarded.
The firms say it is necessary for French milk prices to be comparable to those in Germany.
Our coverage of last year's milk strikes:
No let up in milk protests - farmers
Milk strike anger continues to grow
Milk strike could hit shop supplies
Protesting dairy farmers reach deal
Farmers angry at falling milk price
