NFU President Sir Ben Gill has warned that farmers from different countries need to join forces to overcome the “David and Goliath” situation created by globalisation.
More and more agricultural co-operatives in mainland Europe are entering into partnerships across international boundaries in the face of multi-national food firms and powerful retailers, says the NFU.
Speaking at the Royal Show, Sir Ben called on more farmers to join co-operatives or other farmer controlled businesses in the UK so that the domestic industry is in a better position to forge international alliances.
There are more than 550 co-operatives in the UK with a turnover of £6.6 billion; and 30,000 in the European Union with some nine million members.
Trans-national co-ops can be formed when national co-ops admit members from neighbouring countries or as a result of cross-border mergers.
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