A campaign aimed at tackling the current dairy crisis has been launched by a regional daily.

The Press and Journal, Aberdeen, hopes to put pressure on the government and retail industry to help reverse the plight of dairy farmers in the North and North-East of Scotland.

An in-paper poster for readers to display, pictured below, appeared in last Saturday’s edition of The Press and Journal, accompanying a two-page spread in its famring supplement on the issue – one Aberdeen shire family told the paper how they were selling milk for just under 26p a litre when it costs nearly 30p to produce.

A separate piece on the campaign, devised by farming editor and farmer’s daughter Gemma Mackenzie, was also carried in the main body of the paper.

Said Gemma: “I know a lot about the plight of dairy farmers and feel very passionately about the industry. Seeing the media go crazy over the issue made me think it wasn’t enough and more needed to be done.

“I think it’s important to try to get consumers to understand that the men and women producing one of our staple foods are being forced to produce it at a loss.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous and anyone who knows anything about farming will be thinking ‘here we go again’.

“The campaign has been well received by those in the industry and I’m hoping we can take it forward this week.

“We’ve had lots of interaction from readers, and on Facebook and Twitter, so we just need to keep up the momentum.  I think we’re well placed to make a difference to farmers, and not just the dairy sector.”

Press and Journal editor-in-chief Damian Bates said: “I think this campaign will really strike a chord with dairy farmers and consumers alike.

“Farming is a massive part of our daily coverage: we know the struggles they’re going through and we want to do whatever we can to help. It’s a small step, but an important one.”