FARMERS For Action say farmers across northern Ireland need to make use of their visit to Balmoral Show. With farm gate prices at rock bottom across the majority of the staples it is way past time to make yourself heard with beef processors, dairy processors, supermarkets and any other corporate and co-op purchasers of NI farm produce at the show.

Sean McAuley from the FFA steering committee said: “When you consider the cost of production alone eg for beef is now £6.15 per kilo, lamb £6.15 per kilo and milk is 41per litre, it will take an increase of at least 50% to bring most of Northern Ireland farm gate prices into the real world and then add on profit all inflation linked – farmers and their families have been slaves to the food corporates and co-ops for long enough across the majority of the staples. It’s time to let them have it, face to face, and make it clear that the day of driving farmers to becoming more intensive and more efficient in order to be better off is really a rainbow that delivers for the corporates only! Therefore, is it time for farmers to consider producing less in order to be financially better off?

"Enjoy your day at the show but make yourself heard, loud and clear, on farm gate prices across the staples, remembering that the Brexit smokescreen is not an excuse – whether we eventually leave or remain in the EU we will still be facing the food corporates and do not sign any supply contracts or agreements that are below the true cost of production plus a margin inflation linked and especially without good legal advice.”