Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead is to call for action at a European level to help dairy farmers who have been hit by falling milk prices.

Mr Lochhead will discuss the issue of milk prices at a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Brussels on Monday.

The price of a two-litre carton of milk has dropped to £1 in many supermarkets and dairy farmers are now paying more to produce the milk than they are getting back from processing firms, MSPs said earlier this month.

Mr Lochhead said it is "crucial" to discuss what can be done at a European level to support farmers and protect the dairy industry.

He said: "Dairy farmers in Scotland are facing a real struggle due to the fall in the price of milk. I met farmers across Scotland last week and it is clear they are worried for their future.

"This is especially true in some of our remote and island communities where dairy farming plays a key role in our wider economy and where this issue could have serious consequences reaching beyond the farm gate.