AS one of the 3,000 British farmer/owners of the Arla Foods dairy co-operative, I am extremely disappointed to learn that North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin cancelled his opportunity to attend a meeting at our world-leading milk facility in Buckingham shire where we would have been discussing the current milk price issue (MP objects to dairy visit, January 15).

Surely it is his duty, as an elected representative of a rural constituency, to better understand the issue, so he can help Government policy-makers and the industry find pragmatic measures to address the problem. Grandstanding gestures help no-one. As an Arla farmer, I know just how seriously Arla takes the issue of falling milk prices, and how much work it is doing to try and continue to pay us a leading price, despite very challenging global market conditions.

No matter what Mr Wiggin’s views of Arla as a business, his attendance could have helped him understand some of the dynamics of the industry; in no way would it have meant Mr Wiggin was ‘supporting a price cut’.

I commend Mr Wiggin on his intention to support dairy farmers through a very difficult period. There is no denying that all dairy farmers are under great pressure due to falling milk prices.

So if he is concerned about being seen visiting a dairy company, I would be more than happy for him to visit my farm to discuss the challenges affecting hard-working British dairy farmers.

BARBARA HUGHES Arla dairy farmer/owner & Arla Board member and Vice President of the Women’s Food and Farming Union