Alyn Smith, MEP and member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, has condemned the UK Government's lack of response to the developing crisis in the farming supply chain.

Mr Smith has been appointed the shadow rapporteur for a report entitled "Tackling unfair trading practices in the business-to-business food supply chain" which is likely to call for legal action at EU level.

The report by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on dairy farming published earlier this week shows the dangers that farmers in Scotland face. This report condemned the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) for being unable to launch pro-active investigations or address complaints from indirect suppliers.

Mr Smith said: "We need real change to help the farmers of Scotland. I agree with Mairead McGuiness, who is leading on the writing of this report, that a voluntary code may be insufficient and that farmers need more assurances. She also acknowledges that the current UK framework was clearly an example of what not to do.

"I wrote to the UK Government about their plans to address late payments to suppliers and the response I received shows that they are not taking the issue as seriously. Farmers need concrete regulations to protect them, not consultations and promises of future action.

"The GCA needs wholesale change. I have said this before and until the GCA has actual power I will continue to condemn it. Indeed, it is illustrative of the attitude of the UK Government that the head of the GCA is only employed part time.

"The GCA must be able to launch investigations pro-actively and must actually start defending farmers from the supermarkets."

Market round-up

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 204 store heifers at Stirling on Thursday to a top of £1345 per head and 252.3p per kg to average £989.24 and 222.3p, while 257 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at £1410 and 271.6p to level at £1031.15 and 228.9p. Forty-two store, dairy-bred bullocks sold to £1110 and 194.7p to average £906.39 and 169.2p.

There were also 544 store hoggs forward that sold to £80 for a pen of Beltex and averaged £60.25 (+£3.62 on the previous sale).

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart sold 5443 prime hoggs in Longtown on Thursday to a top of £116 per head and 259p per kg to average 193.4p (-6.3p on the week).

A much smaller show of 2736 cast sheep saw heavy ewes sell to £162 for Texels and average £93.67 (-£2.08), while light ewes peaked at £110 for Lleyns and levelled at £59.27 (-£4.35). Rams sold to £144 for a Texel and averaged £83.63 (-£7.06).