Outside the court the farmers drew attention to the continuing decline in farm incomes, with placards that explained, “Farmers get 18p[ence] a litre, 6p less than in 1995; processors get 15p, the same as in 1995; supermarkets get 23p, of which 8-10% is profit.”

“Our costs are going up all the time, but dairies try and push down the prices that we receive for what we produce,” said Parkes’s wife Youelite, who also works on the farm. Total farm income in England dropped by over 8 percent in 2004.

“The dairies put up milk prices last year after protests but dropped it again two months later,” said Robert Capsey, 18, whose father is a farmer. He also described the support farmers received at the dairy protests from many tanker drivers delivering milk to the depot. “One tanker driver who stood with us when we were outside the dairy was taken off driving by the company.”

The court gave Parkes a six-month conditional discharge. “I absolutely stand by what I did, because we are being ripped off,” said Parkes, speaking to supporters and the media following the hearing. He explained that farmers attending the hearing “had a whip around [passed the hat] to help me pay the court costs.”

Asked by reporters whether he would continue to be involved in action against the dairy companies, Parkes responded, “Will protests go on? Read between the lines. I will carry on. Maybe I won’t be the one sitting in front of the lorry, next time. The night I got arrested 3,000 farmers were protesting in France. We need to do more of what they did.”

Bruce Horn, an arable and beef farmer from Hampshire, also participated in the court protests. He described recent collaboration between the FFA and members of the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU) who were due to take strike action at the Morrisons supermarket distribution centres, in opposition to job cuts and attacks on union rights. He said the union asked the FFA to co-ordinate action together. Eventually the TGWU suspended the planned strike.

Following the court hearing the farmers went to the town centre to circulate among residents a petition demanding an increase in the price they receive for milk.  
 
 
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