UK farmers on 24 hour strike
Farmers | 23.08.2002 14:22
The BBC reports on the radical Farmers for Action call for UK farmers to go on 24 hour strike. They are not traditional allies of radicals in Britain but this group of small family farmers are being eradicated by global capitalism, just as the miners and dockers were. They need some solidarity.
Thursday, 22 August, 2002, 17:25 GMT 18:25 UK
UK farmers go on strike
By Myles Neligan
BBC News Online business staff
If you like to plan for any eventuality, then it might be wise to start stocking up on fresh food right now.
Because if militant agricultural lobby group Farmers For Action has its way, supermarkets across the country will be running out of milk and other perishable goods before the weekend is over.
The FFA has called on farmers to suspend food deliveries for 24 hours from early on Friday in an attempt to draw attention to a deepening crisis facing Britain's rural economy.
The group claims that about 20% of the country's farmers are planning to take part, and has warned that supplies of some fresh products, particularly milk, will be affected.
Protestors' threats can normally be taken with a pinch of salt, but the FFA's action cannot be so easily dismissed.
Farm strike leader David Handley
Protest veteran
David Handley, the group's chief, has a fearsome track record as a protest leader.
Mr Handley's rose to prominence in the autumn of 2000, when, as head of the People's Fuel Lobby - a hastily assembled coalition of truck drivers, farmers, and small businessmen - he masterminded a blockade of petrol refineries which nearly paralysed the UK economy.
Intended as a protest against rising fuel taxes, the blockade choked off most of the country's fuel supplies, disrupting commercial deliveries and cutting motor traffic in half overnight.
Nearly two years on, Mr Handley has lost none of his fighting spirit.
"We are not going to sit back and let our industry be taken away from us," he told BBC News Online.
"If we are not listened to we will not hesitate to escalate our action, and those who know us know that we are quite capable of doing so."
Supermarket battle
The FFA, which says it does not want handouts, is hoping the government will agree to help farmers emerge from a recession which is now entering its sixth year.
It wants the government to set up a watchdog to help farmers get better prices from supermarkets, their main customers.
"There's an impression given that supermarkets are looking after the farmer and the consumer, but it's a myth. They are profiteering on the back of both of us," Mr Handley said.
The FFA has previously threatened to blockade supermarkets' distribution centres in protest over aggressive price bargaining.
The supermarkets deny charges of exploitation, saying they are merely responding to market forces.
Risk
Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket chain, was unperturbed by the FFA's latest plan.
"We are monitoring the situation, but we're confident we'll have the usual supplies," said a spokesperson.
Protests against fuel nearly brought the UK to a halt
Meanwhile, the mainstream National Farmers' Union, the country's biggest farm lobby, has advised its members to play no part in the strike.
"We think this is an extremely risky strategy that could seriously backfire," the NFU said in a statement.
"Such action could damage the relationship between individual farmers and their buyers, and lead to long-term financial losses for the farmer concerned."
The NFU argues that in the current climate, farmers should hold onto whatever sources of income they have left.
Last month, the organisation calculated that farm incomes have fallen by over 70% since 1995.
It claims that the average British farmer now earns about £10,000 a year - less than the minimum wage.
UK farmers go on strike
By Myles Neligan
BBC News Online business staff
If you like to plan for any eventuality, then it might be wise to start stocking up on fresh food right now.
Because if militant agricultural lobby group Farmers For Action has its way, supermarkets across the country will be running out of milk and other perishable goods before the weekend is over.
The FFA has called on farmers to suspend food deliveries for 24 hours from early on Friday in an attempt to draw attention to a deepening crisis facing Britain's rural economy.
The group claims that about 20% of the country's farmers are planning to take part, and has warned that supplies of some fresh products, particularly milk, will be affected.
Protestors' threats can normally be taken with a pinch of salt, but the FFA's action cannot be so easily dismissed.
Farm strike leader David Handley
Protest veteran
David Handley, the group's chief, has a fearsome track record as a protest leader.
Mr Handley's rose to prominence in the autumn of 2000, when, as head of the People's Fuel Lobby - a hastily assembled coalition of truck drivers, farmers, and small businessmen - he masterminded a blockade of petrol refineries which nearly paralysed the UK economy.
Intended as a protest against rising fuel taxes, the blockade choked off most of the country's fuel supplies, disrupting commercial deliveries and cutting motor traffic in half overnight.
Nearly two years on, Mr Handley has lost none of his fighting spirit.
"We are not going to sit back and let our industry be taken away from us," he told BBC News Online.
"If we are not listened to we will not hesitate to escalate our action, and those who know us know that we are quite capable of doing so."
Supermarket battle
The FFA, which says it does not want handouts, is hoping the government will agree to help farmers emerge from a recession which is now entering its sixth year.
It wants the government to set up a watchdog to help farmers get better prices from supermarkets, their main customers.
"There's an impression given that supermarkets are looking after the farmer and the consumer, but it's a myth. They are profiteering on the back of both of us," Mr Handley said.
The FFA has previously threatened to blockade supermarkets' distribution centres in protest over aggressive price bargaining.
The supermarkets deny charges of exploitation, saying they are merely responding to market forces.
Risk
Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket chain, was unperturbed by the FFA's latest plan.
"We are monitoring the situation, but we're confident we'll have the usual supplies," said a spokesperson.
Protests against fuel nearly brought the UK to a halt
Meanwhile, the mainstream National Farmers' Union, the country's biggest farm lobby, has advised its members to play no part in the strike.
"We think this is an extremely risky strategy that could seriously backfire," the NFU said in a statement.
"Such action could damage the relationship between individual farmers and their buyers, and lead to long-term financial losses for the farmer concerned."
The NFU argues that in the current climate, farmers should hold onto whatever sources of income they have left.
Last month, the organisation calculated that farm incomes have fallen by over 70% since 1995.
It claims that the average British farmer now earns about £10,000 a year - less than the minimum wage.
Farmers
Comments
Hide the following 4 comments
thought
23.08.2002 15:58
old macdonald
About time too
23.08.2002 18:48
The land is ours!
Crikey, I never thought I'd see it me own lifetime, and who'd ave thought the revolution would be kicked-off by a dairy farmer and some slightly miffed supermarket shoppers?
Land, freedom, revolution, cheap milk!
excitable revolutionist
The land is ours!
23.08.2002 20:27
The land is ours!
Crikey, I never thought I'd see it me own lifetime, and who'd ave thought the revolution would be kicked-off by a dairy farmer and some slightly miffed supermarket shoppers?
Land, freedom, revolution, cheap milk!
excitable revolutionist
Bring back the co-ops
27.08.2002 03:51
However,as I have now moved to Australia and am part of the union movement it became apparent on my return to Scotland what the local farmers need to do after speaking to my relatives about the origins of the CO-OPs shops in the town.
These CO-OPs have sadly now come under pressure or are closed altogether from the large companies. These Co-ops used to have a butcher,bakers,dairy and 'emporium'. The fresh produce from the farms used to be supplied locally by the small local farmers. It produced a win-win situation with farmers having regular and consistent orders with the people of the towns having affordable produce and the first loyalty reward schemes (the dividend)which could be collected at Christmas. The CO-OPs aslo provided regular full-time employment in the area.
No doubt local small farmers became caught up with the individualistic ideology like the majority of others and moved to look after themselves without thinking about the big picture of monopoly capitalism. This of course is just like other workers who have shifted from the collective spirit. It is also of course what allows the powerfull to overcome the weak.
Only a return to a collective approach from small farmers will enable them to survive. Just like in the towns getting organised is the key. When small farmers recognise the benefits of CO-OPs they will be able to stave off there demise.
stewart