Free market

Published at 07:39, Wednesday, 21 November 2012

IT is quite incorrect to blame the EU for the loss of the Milk Marketing Board as Robert Johnson tries to do (Courant, November 9).

The idea of agricultural marketing boards to maintain prices for farmers was implemented after 1931.

The policy worked for many years but was abolished by the Thatcher-Major governments because many modern Conservatives believe farmers should be exposed to the pressures of the free market even if this means allowing them to be bullied by supermarkets and big dairies.

MARTIN PUGH,

Hexham

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk