28/3/2002

A farmer who sells raw milk direct to consumers has hit out at plans to ban its sale in Wales.

Steve Oultram said he was amazed that these proposals had come from the Food Standards Advisory Committee for Wales just a couple of years after the UK government had ruled out a ban following extensive consultation with producers and the public.

"The public must have freedom to choose," he said. "There’s no talk about banning smoking or drinking, despite the huge cost that both these activities have on the National Health Service. Yet they want to ban a natural product like raw milk."

Mr Oultram, who milks a 165 strong herd of pedigree Ayrshires at Newbridge Farm in Ewloe, Deeside, sells part of his daily milk yield directly to the public.

"The government is continually encouraging us to diversify our farm businesses," he said. "We simply can’t all go into bed and breakfast or caravan parks. Selling raw, or green top, milk direct to the public is the way that we have been able to diversify our business."

The milk is sold directly to customers through the farm shop. It is contained in glass bottles with green tops and labelled. Consumers are clearly told that the milk is raw and has not been treated in any way.

"I have a regular stream of customers who buy six to eight pints at a time," said Mr Oultram. "It’s very popular. Many of my customers buy enough supplies to last them a week."

He said he was amazed and upset that the question of banning green top milk was to be examined again.

"Surely their time could be better spent on examining products that are a real health hazard such as cigarettes and alcohol than on milk."

Eifion Huws, a dairy farmer and the Anglesey chairman of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, supported Mr Oultram.

"If green top milk is banned in Wales we will be left with the ridiculous situation of people crossing over the border to England to buy their supplies," he said. "This matter has been thoroughly investigated only a few years ago.

"It is made perfectly clear to the public that green top milk is raw, untreated milk. It would be wrong if the freedom to choose to drink raw milk is taken away from them," said Mr Huws.

Source:	Farmers' Union of Wales
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