Bellend Sebastian Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 I know piss all about milk (except it's a key ingredient in milkshake) and even less about farming, but my ex used to be an accountant for one of the big audit firms that used to go over the books of a ready meal producer and although I've not got a clue how the contracts and all that work, the big supermarket they used to supply would periodically turn round and say, we're going to do a two for one offer on your meals and we'll pay you this much for them (i.e. a lot less than usual) so that the supplier is actually making a loss, while the supermarket's profit margin is maintained, and if they showed any sign of dissent they'd just threaten to switch suppliers. What a lovely story. I'm sure this is indicative of the fair and equitable relationship between food producers and the big supermarkets generally
Schlupp Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Is it just me...but are farmers blockading milk processing plants being treated differently to everyone else? I can't help thinking if they had miners helmets on or carried student cards they would be batoned / beaten and kettled by police in riot outfits...no condemnation from the government..just "understanding" and concessions ..they seem to be allowed to prevent others from going about their lawful business while others are treated totally differently.... or am I just cynical? Your a truly woeful human being.
Guest nathan. Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Speaking of farmers i seen more driving around in there trackers today than iv seen my whole life.
sphericalfox Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 I have an Uncle in Ireland who operated a dairy farm for nearly 35 years. In Ireland the country's farms are highly dependant on dairy, not just milk. He has had to give this up in the last few years due to the squeeze the dairies and supermarkets have had on his business. It's simply not viable any more. Agriculturally Ireland is in a mess because of it, and is hugely dependant on export of its dairy products to the UK and beyond. He's now trying his best to generate income by breeding rare cow breeds in the hope that he can make money via this route, but this is not really a long term solution to his problems as the meat market is just as despicably tailored to the supermarkets as the milk has become and probably will get worse as the cost of grain and such is rampantly high.
davieG Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 I saw a programme about this and if I remember correctly what happened was a few years back the big supermarkets started setting up 'special' relationships with a few farmers encouraging them to invest and expand, the knock on effect was that small farms were forced out as the only way to satisfy the supermarkets was to be big to get the price they were after which although tight was decent. Once the farms were tied into their supermarket and the small once significantly reduced the supermarkets started to tighten the financial knot by reducing the price they'd previously agreed when encouraging the farms to invest, The resulting big farms were then trapped they either accepted the reduced price or went out of business because they where now too big and and heavily invested to pick up enough small trade to cover their investment and the only other alternative was another supermarket but as they had their own suppliers and were also squeezing the margins the farmers were locked in and virtually helpless. The supermarkets are running what amounts to a virtual cartel and have continued to squeeze to maximise their own profits or to use milk as a loss leader knowing the farmers can do nothing to bargain for a better living price..
THEFATBASTARD Posted 26 July 2012 Author Posted 26 July 2012 Your a truly woeful human being. Thanks for that great contribution..now go back to pulling your udders..
Captain... Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 I saw a programme about this and if I remember correctly what happened was a few years back the big supermarkets started setting up 'special' relationships with a few farmers encouraging them to invest and expand, the knock on effect was that small farms were forced out as the only way to satisfy the supermarkets was to be big to get the price they were after which although tight was decent. Once the farms were tied into their supermarket and the small once significantly reduced the supermarkets started to tighten the financial knot by reducing the price they'd previously agreed when encouraging the farms to invest, The resulting big farms were then trapped they either accepted the reduced price or went out of business because they where now too big and and heavily invested to pick up enough small trade to cover their investment and the only other alternative was another supermarket but as they had their own suppliers and were also squeezing the margins the farmers were locked in and virtually helpless. The supermarkets are running what amounts to a virtual cartel and have continued to squeeze to maximise their own profits or to use milk as a loss leader knowing the farmers can do nothing to bargain for a better living price.. Well that explains how they managed to get caught up in such unfair practices, and as I suspected it was due, in part, to their own greed.
davieG Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Well that explains how they managed to get caught up in such unfair practices, and as I suspected it was due, in part, to their own greed. I'm not so sure it was so much greed as survival as the supermarkets gradually reduced the number of their suppliers, it was either sign up if offered the opportunity or join those not selected by selling to those selected and leaving the business. Also they weren't to know that further down the line after committing to the costs involved in expansion and efficiencies required by large suppliers that the supermarkets would put the squeeze on them. It seems to me they cooperated and were then shat on.
Schlupp Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Thanks for that great contribution..now go back to pulling your udders.. Only joking m8.
sphericalfox Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Well that explains how they managed to get caught up in such unfair practices, and as I suspected it was due, in part, to their own greed. That's simply not true. The more industrious large scale dairy producers fooked over the many small farms across Ireland and the UK. It's the greed of the few (once more) that have fooked over the many. But the supermarkets took great pleasure in holding them all hostage.
Captain... Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 That's simply not true. The more industrious large scale dairy producers fooked over the many small farms across Ireland and the UK. It's the greed of the few (once more) that have fooked over the many. But the supermarkets took great pleasure in holding them all hostage. I'm not so sure it was so much greed as survival as the supermarkets gradually reduced the number of their suppliers, it was either sign up if offered the opportunity or join those not selected by selling to those selected and leaving the business. Also they weren't to know that further down the line after committing to the costs involved in expansion and efficiencies required by large suppliers that the supermarkets would put the squeeze on them. It seems to me they cooperated and were then shat on. They saw a chance to earn more money, screw over the smaller farms and guarantee their income for the short term, if they had a bit of solidarity with the smaller dairy farmers I dare say they wouldn't be in this mess. I am very much in support of the farmers in this case but, when you jump into bed with the devil, don't be surprised when you get burnt.
Schlupp Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Get your self a cow den you don't need to worry about it m8
THEFATBASTARD Posted 26 July 2012 Author Posted 26 July 2012 Well that explains how they managed to get caught up in such unfair practices, and as I suspected it was due, in part, to their own greed. The world moves on, things (economics) change..but it seems that farmers want to be a special case, and want the taxpayer to prop up their way of life...they are and always have been a powerful lobby on government, most of the rulers of this country are land owners ...and are very sympathetic to farmers, (who are the "custodians" of the countryside) other great swathes of british industry have fallen by the way side, with a shrug ...but we must show a special understanding in the farmers case..sorry I don't.. Only joking m8. you were right though...It hit a nerve..
Captain... Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 The world moves on, things (economics) change..but it seems that farmers want to be a special case, and want the taxpayer to prop up their way of life...they are and always have been a powerful lobby on government, most of the rulers of this country are land owners ...and are very sympathetic to farmers, (who are the "custodians" of the countryside) other great swathes of british industry have fallen by the way side, with a shrug ...but we must show a special understanding in the farmers case..sorry I don't.. you were right though...It hit a nerve.. I'm sorry but what special understanding are you talking about, this has nothing to do with us bailing them out, or tax payers money, it is about unfair business practices crippling a part of our economy, which lets face it can't take much more crippling. You seem to have a big chip on your shoulder over farmers, but I'm not sure how it relates to this issue.
davieG Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 They saw a chance to earn more money, screw over the smaller farms and guarantee their income for the short term, if they had a bit of solidarity with the smaller dairy farmers I dare say they wouldn't be in this mess. I am very much in support of the farmers in this case but, when you jump into bed with the devil, don't be surprised when you get burnt. I think you must live in a Utopian world, the supermarkets were calling the tune it was either join in or get out, remember the vast majority of the population were buying their milk from these supermarkets they had total control over who supplied and who didn't. Pretending that if they'd stayed separate the supermarkets would have said ok that's fine we did want to cut our admin costs by dealing with fewer suppliers but with your stand we've seen the light. The world moves on, things (economics) change..but it seems that farmers want to be a special case, and want the taxpayer to prop up their way of life...they are and always have been a powerful lobby on government, most of the rulers of this country are land owners ...and are very sympathetic to farmers, (who are the "custodians" of the countryside) other great swathes of british industry have fallen by the way side, with a shrug ...but we must show a special understanding in the farmers case..sorry I don't.. you were right though...It hit a nerve.. Where does the taxpayer come into this?
Captain... Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 I think you must live in a Utopian world, the supermarkets were calling the tune it was either join in or get out, remember the vast majority of the population were buying their milk from these supermarkets they had total control over who supplied and who didn't. Pretending that if they'd stayed separate the supermarkets would have said ok that's fine we did want to cut our admin costs by dealing with fewer suppliers but with your stand we've seen the light. I understand where you are coming from but those willing to kowtow to the big supermarkets where greedy, they must have seen the consequence on the smaller farms but were more interested/talked round/hoodwinked by the promise of more money.
DANGEROUS TIGER Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 If somebody else can produce the milk cheaper than they can, they're not exactly being screwed over. Would you rather milk prices were kept artificially high - ripping off the consumer to benefit a few farmers who are unable to adapt to changing markets? I know I wouldn't, and it would certainly set a dangerous precedent for other industries to follow. You wouldn't hold that view if you were a farmer. They are being screwed by the big supermarkets, who make far, far, more profit than the farmers I am also with the farmers on this issue.
THEFATBASTARD Posted 26 July 2012 Author Posted 26 July 2012 If your unaware that farming in this country and all over europe is subsidised by british tax payers ,,where have you been? we pour billions into europe to prop up un economic farmers all over the continent..farmers get paid huge sums to "manage " the countryside.. I have no chip on my shoulder about farmers..I just don't see why they should be allowed to break the law ,blockade other people trying to earn a living...if inner city crowds were doing it ,they would be dealt with harshly...
AoWW Posted 26 July 2012 Posted 26 July 2012 Get your self a cow den you don't need to worry about it m8 Huh? A cow den?
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.