Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb used a parliamentary debate on dairy farming yesterday (Wednesday) to criticise the Government for giving out mixed messages about the dairy industry.

This followed the launch of the latest stage of what Stephen described as the Food Standard Agency's (FSA) ‘anti-dairy’ campaign.

Last week, the FSA launched its latest campaign to encourage consumers to buy 1% fat milk.

“I see from its recent press releases, and from its website this morning, that it sees one of its main jobs as warning people away from dairy products, as part of its campaign against saturated fat," said Stephen.

“The dairy sector is being made a scapegoat by the FSA because of the Government's rank failure to tackle the more profound drivers of obesity in this country”.

He suggested that the Government should be concentrating on tackling the real causes of obesity rather than demonising dairy produce.

The debate on the future of UK dairy farming, led by Stephen, took place in the Westminster Hall debating chamber. It returned to the subject of the first Westminster Hall debate that Stephen secured back in November 2005, soon after he was elected.

The debate was well attended by members from all parties and from all areas of the UK, demonstrating wide cross-party national support for the dairy industry in the House of Commons.

MPs used the debate to raise with the minister a range of challenges affecting dairy farmers including the recent sharp decline in milk prices; the failure to make progress on eradicating Bovine TB; the collapse of the Dairy Farmers of Britain co-operative in June 2009; and the continuing lack of confidence in the industry which is holding back investment Opening the debate, Stephen said: “I am returning to the matter of dairy farming today, in the closing weeks of this Parliament, because many of the challenges facing the dairy sector which prompted me to write to the speaker the first time round have not changed… The industry backdrop may have altered somewhat but our dairy farmers are still facing difficult and uncertain times.”

Stephen went on to emphasise the importance of dairy farming to his own constituency of Preseli Pembrokeshire. He pointed out that dairy farming provides the very backbone of the agricultural industry in west Wales and highlighted the importance of dairy farming success stories such as Cilgerran farmer Laurence Harries’ Daioni organic flavoured milk and the First Milk processing plant in Haverfordwest.

However, Stephen also pointed out that many farms throughout the county have been devastated by the continuing spread of Bovine TB and declining milk prices over the last year.

He said: “there can be little doubt that the fluctuating price of liquid milk and the increasing cost of milk production have contributed significantly to the lack of confidence in the dairy industry in recent years.”

During the debate, Stephen reiterated his support for the creation of a supermarket ombudsman who can look clearly at the way in which the supermarket supply chain is working, make recommendations and take remedies where appropriate. But he urged farmers to be cautious about what the ombudsman alone can achieve.

Stephen also highlighted the role of recent initiatives taken by retailers to introduce direct milk supply contracts which have ensured that some farmers, at least, are getting a price that meets their costs of production. He warned that too many farmers who do not have these dedicated contracts with retailers are receiving a price below their costs and are facing enormous losses as a result.