Morrisons launches 'Milk for Farmers'
NFU president Meurig Raymond said the new milk brand is a "welcome first step".
In the midst of protests about low milk prices, Morrisons is set to launch a new milk brand for consumers who wish to support dairy farmers.
'Milk for Farmers' is due to hit the shelves this autumn and will be sold at a retail premium of 10p per litre - all of which will go directly to farmers within Britain's largest milk co-operative, Arla.
The move follows a series of recent nationwide protests which have seen cows wandering up dairy aisles in supermarkets and farmers carrying out 'trolley challenges' - mass-buying milk to clear supermarket shelves before giving the product away for free.
This week, Morrisons representatives met with the UK's four main farming unions - National Farmers' Union (NFU), NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers' Union, as well as the lobby group, Farmers for Action.
It is estimated to cost around 30p per litre (ppl) to produce milk. As a result of rapidly falling prices, however, UK farmers were paid an average of just 24.13ppl in May, according to AHDB Dairy. This is a decrease of more than 25 per cent compared to the same month last year.
Morrisons' corporate services director Martyn Jones, said: "We recognise that the current market for liquid milk is impacting on hardworking dairy farmers and their families. We want to help."
NFU president Meurig Raymond said the new brand is a "welcome first step". Further talks are now being held on how the supermarket chain can support other dairy products such as cheese, butter and yoghurt.
In a statement this week, Morrisons also revealed it had asked milk suppliers to share any benefits with farmers, rather than passing on decreases in the farmgate price to the supermarket itself.
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