Dairy farming has changed dramatically over the last 20 years.

When I came to work for the NFU in Kendal 20 years ago, there were farmers up the valleys milking 15 cows. They weren’t making much money doing it, but the monthly milk cheque would feed the family.

At that time there were 135 dairy farms in the Kendal/Sedbergh area. The average herd size in the area was about 75 cows and they were looked after by the farmer and either his son or a regular full time worker.

In those days there was one organisation selling milk on behalf of all dairy farmers in the country, it had a very efficient collection operation – today 2 or even 3 milk tankers pass the same farm gate every day. All the money received for milk – whether the end product was liquid milk, cheese, butter, yogurt - was pooled and shared out equally, after expenses, between all dairy farmers.

Government policy changed that and we are now left with a small monopoly of very large milk buyers – who buy on behalf of an even smaller group of very large supermarkets – and the farmer is left at the bottom of the pile.

The contracts the large buyers give to their supplying farmers compel the farmer to give 12 months notice of being able to terminate that contract – even if he finds someone else prepared to pay more for his milk from tomorrow – but the buyer is able to change the milk price at a few day’s notice - sometimes even backdating the price reduction!

We are now in a position where we have 75 dairy farms left, the average herd has between 150 and 200 cows, looked after by one, possibly two people and the price the farmer receives is less than it was 20 years ago.

Does it really matter if more dairy farmers go out of business? Do we care as long as the price we pay for milk continues to fall?

Well we should, for one thing is certain, if dairy farmers go out of business so do most of the other jobs in the rural economy. Why? Because dairy farmers are the backbone of the local economy.

The Land Rover dealer gets a share, the tractor dealer gets a share, so does the quad bike seller, the vet, the feed supplier, the fertiliser supplier. The builder, plumber, electrician, refrigeration engineer, gate supplier and let’s not forget the men who drive the milk tanker, and all the other delivery drivers.

Some of the supermarket buyers are pretending to be better than the others. They have had an independent survey carried out to establish the cost of production. This allows them to claim they are looking after their farmer suppliers by paying them the cost of production – no profit – just the cost of production.

Can you help to change this situation and safeguard some of those jobs in the rural economy? Next time you’re in ASDA or Morrison’s, ask to speak to the manager and ask him why his company expect farmers to supply them with fresh milk and dairy products for less than it costs to produce them.

If on your visit to the supermarket you’re met by a group of farmers engage them in conversation – like everyone else they like a chat. If they ask you to change your shopping habits for the next few weeks and to shop with a company that practices fair trade consider doing it.

Who knows? It may be the job of one of your family or friends you’re protecting.