Editor’s Comment: Peaceful protests bring ‘rock bottom’ dairy trade to attention

We would miss it if wasn’t available, but are we prepared to may more for this commodity?

That’s the question staged by Morrisons this week, which is offering customers the choice of paying 10p more to help British dairy farmers.

And providing there is transparency on where the money goes, then it is a very worthy way of signalling support for the farmers.

The dairy industry is in dire trouble, or as one Nidderdale dairy farmer said this week, at rock bottom, and the supermarkets can take their fair share of the blame.

But consumers too need to think carefully about what support they want to give, and the Morrisons initiative offers them a option.

Meanwhile a 15-year-old young farmer from Ripon bravely made his point in Asda in Harrogate this week when he loaded up three massive trolleys worth of milk for the princely sum of £170.

As young Charles Britton said - nothing else is cheaper than milk.

More farmers will join in the peaceful protests to make their point, and more and more consumers will begin to wonder if discounting like this is sustainable for such a key rural industry.