Passing the buck???

[changilass]

Just spotted this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6965674.stm


How do farmers manage to pass on the costs??? When the animals go to market its not as if they can set a reserve and take them home if they don't reach said reserve. Farmers get the going price at market.

[Andrew C]

Farmers definetely get the raw deal these days and if the current culture in governement doesn't change, then farmers will be forced out of business. Then we'll have to import meat even more and we'll certainly notice it in our pocket!

I guess it highlights all the more the importance of buying meat from local butchers supplied by local stokck.

[golach]

Just spotted this

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6965674.stm


How do farmers manage to pass on the costs??? When the animals go to market its not as if they can set a reserve and take them home if they don't reach said reserve. Farmers get the going price at market.
But who is at the markets holding down the prices?....The buyers from Tescos & Asda and Morrisons, they are the ones who dictate the prices, look at the problems the farmers are having with the price of milk just now

[Wellies]

You are right farmers cannot dictate what price we get at the mart we have to take what we get. Yes we can put a reserve on the animals we sell but then they are taken home and cost us more to feed and look after. Then when we take them back to the mart we might get less, as the prices have gone down, its a gamble. The prices I get for gimmers now is on average £20 less than what my father got about 20 years ago, and the lambs and cattle are slightly less as well but what can we do.