Farmers, now getting 5p less a litre for their milk than it actually takes to produce are currently (11.47pm) stopping any milk leaving unigate dairy, in Totnes, South Devon.
From just after 8.00pm, no milk has left the Unigate Dairy in Totnes. Farmers are protesting about the fact that they are now only getting 16-17p per litre (supermarket retail 60p per litre)- around 5p less than it takes to produce. At the same time milk prices are going up in the supermarket.
Around 60 Farmers are currently at the dairy, and plan to stay there until it is too late for the milk to get on breakfast tables tommorow. To begin with there was some pushing and shoving between police and farmers, as the first lorry attempted to leave. Initial Police aggression was countered by farmers and a couple of supporting locals move barriers across the road. The police were outnumbered (that makes a change!) and made no further attempt to move the protesters. I left the blockade at 11.30pm, and it was still holding strong, with no sign of police reinforcements.
Around 60 Farmers are currently at the dairy, and plan to stay there until it is too late for the milk to get on breakfast tables tommorow. To begin with there was some pushing and shoving between police and farmers, as the first lorry attempted to leave. Initial Police aggression was countered by farmers and a couple of supporting locals move barriers across the road. The police were outnumbered (that makes a change!) and made no further attempt to move the protesters. I left the blockade at 11.30pm, and it was still holding strong, with no sign of police reinforcements.