by JULIE WILSON

OUTSPOKEN DAIRY FARMER McDonald Stevenson has placed the blame for the ongoing fresh milk shortage squarely at the feet of the Pine Hill Dairy (PHD).

Speaking to the DAILY NATION yesterday, he cited the PHD's refusal to pay farmers more than 90 cents for every litre of milk produced outside of the farmers' quota; a reduction in the quota by up to 30 per cent; the dairy's preference for the use of powdered milk over raw cows' milk and its reluctance to stimulate farmers to produce more milk as contributors to the shortage.

The president of the Barbados Agricultural Trading and Investment Co-operative Society said the shortage of milk had been a problem for the last four years but the situation grew worse over the last couple of months.

He was responding to a statement by PHD explaining last weekend why it was unable to meet demands for fresh milk.

That release was signed by president of the Barbados Agricultural Society, James Paul, president of the Dairy and Beef Association, Paul Davis, and PHD general manager Clyde Gibson.

Stevenson also dismissed the suggestion that an ageing local cattle population was at the root of the "record low yield of raw milk which the dairy relied on to produce fresh pasteurised milk".

"As a dairy farmer, I would be insulted to come and tell you that I have an ageing herd. There are basics in dairy farming; 15 per cent of your female offspring should come back into your herd as milk producing cows on a yearly basis.

"Do not tell anybody that old cows do not produce milk. You can get milk from cows up to 15 years so that is foolishness . . . They [PHD] are finding all kinds of excuses to absolve themselves from blame."

The release also said the dairy stood ready to work with all dairy farmers to return the intake of raw milk to established levels.