Montgomeryshire AM concerned over milk miles of Welsh school milk (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

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Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Montgomeryshire AM concerned over milk miles of Welsh school milk

November 18, 2009 12:00 AM

Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, Mick Bates AM, has called for more support in the Assembly for Welsh school milk.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Mick Bates said:

"The supply of Welsh school milk is an excellent way to support a market for Welsh milk and to support our local economies. Sadly at the moment I am concerned about the sustainability of school milk, as the milk supplied in large parts of Wales is coming from Scotland and Ireland in cartons which cannot be recycled in the UK.

"This journey from Scotland and Ireland is adding hundreds of milk miles to the milk that is being drunk by pupils in Welsh schools. Yet in Wales we have a fantastic dairy sector that is struggling against the challenge of huge increases in input costs and powerful supermarkets with no intention of sharing their profits with producers.

"Cartons are ending up in landfill as they cannot be recycled here, yet we have an company with a recyclable poly bottle which can offer a more environmentally friendly option for school milk.

"It is crucial that we see more support to procure and promote sustainable Welsh milk and ensure that our children in schools across Wales continue to receive free school milk that has been produced in their local communities."