THE National Farmers Union of Wales has suggested that a number of Welsh milk producers have been or will be impacted by the demise of Tomlinsons Dairies.

It was confirmed on Tuesday that the Wrexham-based dairy had officially entered administration a day after the processor refused to accept milk from local farmers.

And Gareth Richards, NFU Cymru’s Milk Board Chairman, believes that as many as up to 70 Welsh milk producers could be hit by the administration of Tomlnsons Dairies.

Mr Richards said: We received reports over the weekend that Tomlinsons had told its suppliers to find alternative processors for their milk.

“We are currently seeking urgent clarification and investigating further to understand the potential implications of the administration for our members.

“We believe there are around 70 producers affected, many of whom are located in Wales. We want to clarify the position for our members on supplying their milk elsewhere, and we want to know whether they will be paid for milk already supplied to Tomlinsons.

“We are working hard to support our members affected by this issue. We have put together a briefing for NFU Cymru members which we will keep updated as new information becomes available.

“We can also refer members for legal advice to an NFU legal panel firm, funded by the NFU’s Legal Assistance Scheme.”

At the end of a whirlwind 24 hours, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) confirmed on Tuesday, October 15, that Tomlinsons Dairies had officially entered administration.

This came after the processor, which employed around 200 people, refused to accept milk from producers, leading to an angry reaction from concerned local farmers.

Prior to the official announcement by PwC, staff members were informed about the firm’s demise when they were called to attend an emergency meeting on Monday afternoon.

The NFU Cymru briefing on the subject is available on their website (www.nfu-cymru.org.uk) while new information is also being given to their CallFirst team who can be contacted on 0370 845 8458.