A NORTH Tawton cheese-processing factory was the scene of a mass picket overnight on Sunday staged by dairy farmers protesting at milk prices.

The protest at Glanbia Foods-owned Taw Valley Creamery in North Tawton involved around 100 farmers from across the West Country and delayed vehicle movements from the plant.

The picket was staged by the militant group Farmers For Action. One of the coordinators of the protest, dairy producer James Badman, said farmers felt forced into taking drastic action because large firms were keeping milk prices down. 'There's obviously quite a strong feeling about this situation,' he said.

Mr Badman said: 'In past years the price has been driven down but now prices should be forced up. We have got the might of these major producers keeping the price down because they are scared of losing market share and not making money for their shareholders.'

Mr Badman said Farmers For Action were quite happy with how the protest had gone. Further pickets were planned across the country and he could not rule out the possibility that Taw Valley Creamery might be targeted again.

'We have been building this campaign, starting out first with a few farmers, it has gone from strength to strength.'

Mr Badman said the protest at North Tawton had drawn farmers from four branches of FFA: Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. Farmers For Action estimate around 1,000 farmers across the UK took part in co-ordinated action on Sunday night, targeting large firms which it says had failed to listen to demands for an increase in the milk price.

National Farmers' Union South Westspokesmen Ian Johnson said despite some 'meaningful discussion' the NFU's own negotiations with Dairy Crest had been unsuccessful, with the company appearing unwilling to pass on a rise in milk prices in line with market increases.

Mr Johnson said the NFU was now calling on its members to take part in demonstrations in a peaceful manner, however it could not condone picketing of cheese and milk processors.

He said the farmers' protest was a 'last resort and a regrettable one' but it was a measure of the desperation felt by farmers.

'Retailers and processors are still making profits from cheese, but farmers are being paid less for their milk than it costs to produce,' he said.

Farmers say research showed the true production cost for a litre of milk has been calculated to be 23p, while at present milk suppliers receive between 17.5p and 18p per litre. The farmers want a minimum increase of 2p per litre.

Glanbia Foods were unavailable for comment.