A majority of Pembrokeshire milk producers support plans to set up an independent regulator for the dairy market.

The proposal to establish an Ombudsman is being led by Ceredigion MP Simon Thomas, who supports equity and transparency within the milk market.

The Plaid Cymru MP believed an independent regulator, accountable to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and to the National Assembly, was the only way to guarantee a fair pricing system for all. His proposal has the backing of 91% of dairy farmers.

Plaid spokesman in Preseli Pembrokeshire, Matt Mathias, who was himself brought up on a Pembrokeshire farm, said regulation was a long overdue development.

"The dairy sector in Pembrokeshire and across Wales has taken a hammering in recent years, to the great cost of our rural communities,'' he said. "Millions of pounds have been lost to our rural economy as a result.''

Supermarkets, he claimed, had been allowed to dominate the milk market at the expense of the dairy farmer.

"A shopper buying a pint of milk for around 40p should be shocked to discover that the farmer only gets 8p of that money, which is very often not enough to cover production costs,'' said Mr Mathias.

"This is clearly an unacceptable state of affairs and too many family farms have already been forced out of milking as a result, causing significant social and economic damage.''