Dairy farmer reveals fears over Covid-19 impact on industry

Mark Barnes, whose family has farmed at Somerby since 1930, is concerned that the closure of cafes, restaurants and pubs as part of the social distancing restrictions and the consequent loss of that market had depressed milk prices to a dangerously low level.

He welcomed the new emergency government funding being offered to dairy farmers, which allows them to apply for cash payments of up to £10,000 if they can show they have lost more than a quarter of their income since restrictions have operated in April and May, but he is worried about the future of his business.

“Anything is better than nothing but it will depend on how long this goes on for in the end,” Mr Barnes told the Melton Times.

“This funding is a necessity because we are on a knife edge at the moment.

“The closure of the hospitality sector has been a big blow because that is where 20 per cent of the milk goes to and we are being told it won’t be opened up again until July at the earliest.”

Mr Barnes has a herd of 250 cows and his son is the fourth generation of the family who has been involved in the business over the last 90 years.

He says the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is the biggest challenge they have faced in all that time.

The farm, which supplies some of its yield to Long Clawson Dairy, had also been hosting educational visits from schools and community groups to show how milk is produced there but that income has also now temporarily gone.

Mr Barnes added: “I’ve never experienced anything like this and I hope I don’t ever again.

“There are going to be a lot of mental health issues for farmers as a result of the situation.

“I go to sleep worrying about it and I wake up worrying about it.”

Peter Darlington, a dairy farmer at Brickfield Farm, Leesthorpe, is another of the local farms which supplies milk for cheese production at Clawson Dairy.

He said the Covid-19 situation was adversely affecting local dairy farmers and was awaiting further detailed information on the new government funding.

Mr Darlington, whose farm also produces the popular Ferneley’s Ice Cream using milk from their mainly friesan herd, said: “We need to see more clarity on how it will work but something does need to be done because the milk price at the moment is horrendous.”

Vine Farm, at Great Dalby, say diversification has helped them through the crisis, with significantly higher demand from customers for their milk vending machine, which is open seven days a week from 7am to 7pm and is supplied by their own herd.

The farm’s Charlotte Winn told the Melton Times: “We have had a huge increase in sales of milk from the vending machine since the lockdown started.

“The support from the community has been absolutely unbelievable and we now have a lot of new customers.

“People are trying to find new ways of finding their food and we are very happy that we are able to help.”

The significant drop in the price of milk has led to some farmers in Leicestershire reportedly having to pour thousands of litres of their unwanted milk away down drains although some have been able to re-route supplies to supermarkets as they have remained open.

The announcement of the new hardship fund for dairy farmers followed an intense lobbying campaign by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and politicians including Melton MP Alicia Kearns.

Mrs Kearns said: “Rutland and Melton’s dairy farmers play a huge role in feeding our nation and I have been working hard to ensure they are properly supported during this time, lobbying DEFRA daily to secure more support for them.

“I am so pleased the government has responded to calls such as mine and provided such robust and deserved support to those dairy farmers most in need.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) say they will not limit how many farmers can benefit from the fund and there is no cap on the total funding available.