NON-ALIGNED dairy farmers will have stronger representation on the new Muller Farmers Board when it officially kicks-in on August 1, writes Douglas MacSkimming

Three of the seven available positions on the new MFB have been decided following an election carried out by the 21-strong Muller Farmers Forum, which involved eight candidates being offered 15 minutes to state their case for the first three places. The remaining four members will be elected at a further election next March.

The three elected farmers – all non-aligned producers – include Scotland's Stephen Foster, who milks 150 cows at Langside Farm, Galston, who will be joined by John Hocknell from Market Drayton, who started dairy farming from scratch in 2005, and Grant Hartman from south Wales, a re-elected member of the current producer board.

However, current producer board chairman Roddy Catto from Aberdeenshire failed to be re-elected and will lose his seat on August 1, as will Chris Willis from Cheshire. Both Mr Catto and Mr Willis are aligned producers on the Muller Tesco contract.

Mr Foster, the first Scottish dairy farmer to sign-up with Robert Wiseman in 1994, told The Scottish Farmer: "What is evident is that producers are desiring change and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Producers are looking for more robust representation as we all strive to regain our margins."