Bygone Days: Ulster farmers ‘apprehensive’ about proposals in new milk bill (1934)

The announcement was made amid growing concerns and worry amongst Northern Ireland milk producers.

Announcements to this effect were made by Mr Pollock in his budget speech at Stormont, and also by Sir John Gilmour at Westminster.

Mr Pollock's statement at Stormont was as follows: “Honourable members are aware that the position of the milk and butter industry in Northern Ireland one that has been giving the government great concern. As this is in the main is due to excessive imports of and cheese the United Kingdom, my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture and myself have been touch with British Ministers the subject, the government here has now received assurances that in the forthcoming bill in the British House Commons, which will give statutory sanction final arrangements which have already been announced order to assist milk producers Great Britain, provision will be made for sum not exceeding £200,000 this year for the purpose of assisting milk producers in Northern Ireland.”

After Mr Pollock had made his announcement the following official statement was issued by the Ministry of Agriculture: “The Ministry of Agriculture has given notice of Milk and Milk Products Bill, which will passed into law rapidly the business of the House will permit, to reach the Statutebook before the summer recess. The announcement just made Mr Pollock of the inclusion of Northern Ireland within the ambit of the assistance which is being granted by the Imperial Treasury to the milk industry in England and Scotland will, it is hoped, guarantee price of summer and 6d per gallon in winter respect of all milk manufactured creameries in Northern Ireland.”

Responding to the announcements, Mr David Wright, JP, secretary of the Ulster Farmers’ Union, told a News Letter reporter that “the gift £200,000 would greatly clarify the outlook for milk producers, and, no doubt, would expedite the introduction of the milk marketing scheme for which farmers had clamoured long”.

He said that it would be fully required to secure decent price for creamery milk, and “would probably cover period of twelve months to, say, July next year, when the Ottawa agreements are due for revision”.

He added: “The revision of those agreements will mean control of the imports of dominion butter, which are at present causing the severe depression the home milk industry. The British government recently announced the allotment of £5,000,000 towards the British milk marketing scheme, and part of it is to be devoted a publicity campaign.”

“Although details the new Northern Ireland Milk and Milk Products Bill have not yet been revealed sufficient is known of its outline to cause uneasiness in certain circles,” wrote the News Letter's political correspondent.

They continued: “Dr Scott Robertson, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, has discussed with the secretary and Emergency Committee of the Ulster Farmers’ Union certain broad aspects of the government’s scheme which has for its main objects the establishment of economic price for the producer and the regulation the milk market. He has also anticipated the secretary of the Belfast Retail Dairymen's Association of the general basis of the proposals.”

According to information which had reached the leaders of the Farmers’ Union the most important and far-reaching decision indicated in the bill as it stood at that time was that there would no board of producers to control the scheme in the same way that the Pigs Marketing Board controlled the pork industry.

“It is intended, it is said,” wrote the correspondent, “that the scheme shall be administered the Ministry Agriculture, and that a Joint Milk Council representative of producers, retailers and the ministry shall be formed to give certain problems that may arise from time time.”

Leaders of the Farmers’ Union regarded the absence of a producers’ board with alarm, noted the correspondent, “because, they contend, it will place upon officials of the government a duty which legitimately belongs to the people most intimately concerned with any milk legislation – the agricultural community”.

They added: “They believe that a scheme which is not administered producers cannot be a success.”

The News Letter's political correspondent concluded: “It this view of many persons connected with the milk-producing industry that special legislation is not necessary, as the government could introduce scheme under the Agricultural Marketing Act. Indeed, the original scheme, outline of which was exclusively published in the Belfast News Letter at the end of last year, was based that act. The Act enables scheme to provide for empowering the board whom the scheme is administered to co-operate with a committee of dealers in determining the price at which, and the persons through whom, the regulated product may be sold. Originally it was proposed that the scheme should definitely provide for prices to be fixed jointly by the Milk Marketing Board and representatives of those engaged dealing milk and of the Ministry of Agriculture, who, together, would form the Joint Milk Council.”