An overwhelming majority of dairy farmers say they believe in a central dairy, but one collectively owned by all the dairy farmers, and they urge more research ‘in great depth’ into future options before there is any serious consideration given to new alternatives for the existing milk marketing scheme.
These views are a ringing endorsement of the milk producers’ elected leadership, the Jersey Milk Marketing Board.
Also of its position as specified by its chairman, Andrew Le Gallais, at last week’s States Scrutiny Panel hearings following the release of the ‘Promar’ review of the future of the dairy industry.
The views were agreed with by 25 farmers in an informal get-together of producers, held on Monday evening at Lodge Farm, Maufant, home of the Houzé farming family.
Yesterday, Paul Houzé said that the invitation to meet had been extended to dairy farmers, in view of mounting pressure being put on individuals within the industry to agree to the so-called ‘Perchard-Binet’ plan to form a new privately-owned dairy, and a corporate farming structure, similar to that now in operation in the Jersey Royal potato export sector.
