I WRITE in reply to Barbara Hughes (Sad at MP’s milk protest, Letters, January 22), a dairy farmer from Cheshire, who said she was disappointed at my refusing to visit Arla after they cut the price they pay dairy farmers for milk in January.

Oddly, in December when Arla cut the milk price by 1.63p/litre, Mrs Hughes called it ‘a devastating blow’ in the Whitchurch Herald.

Not content with this ‘devastating blow’, in January Arla, in which Mrs Hughes is a shareholder, cut the milk price again – this time by 2p per litre.

Supermarkets like Asda are now charging 89p for four pints of milk, four pence less than the price of water.

This situation is unacceptable for our dairy farmers, and it begs the question who made Mrs Hughes lash out when she clearly agrees with me?

For all her titles, Mrs Hughes has not offered a solution to the problem.

I agree to meet with Arla representatives when they come up with industry solutions to help farmers.

I am glad Mrs Hughes acknowledges my support for dairy farmers at this difficult time, as one of less than a dozen MPs who keeps cattle perhaps Mrs Hughes should have checked my record on supporting farming.

I have tabled a motion calling for more power to be given to the supermarkets ombudsman in line with the prime minister’s commitments at prime minister’s questions recently.

BILL WIGGIN MP for North Herefordshire