Dairy farmers are calling on the Government to introduce a regulator to ensure they get a better price for their milk and stem the current exodus from the industry.

In the last 12 months, seven per cent of farmers have left the dairy sector as they face rising costs and struggle to break even, delegates at the Dairy Event in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, were told yesterday.

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers said the Government should introduce a milk regulator to ensure a fair price is paid to producers with immediate effect.

Speaking at the annual event, RABDF chairman Tim Brigstocke said: "The industry is continuing to haemorrhage at an alarming rate.

"The last 12 months have seen seven per cent of British farmers quit and, equally if not more worrying, is the fact that a large proportion of those losses are the larger and more profitable herds.

"Two years ago RABDF called for a national plan for the dairy industry. However, there was much reluctance to such an approach.

"Since then all manner of industry organisations and representatives have been keen to examine our current milk marketing operations to the 'nth degree that so much analysis has led to paralysis," he said.