Kent dairy farmer losing £650 a day as milk prices plummet
Rob Warnock says the cost of production far outweighs the price paid for milk
A dairy farmer in Folkestone has revealed financial losses of £650 a day as milk prices drop far below the cost of production, raising fears for the future of farming in the UK.
Rob Warnock, who runs a family farm that has been milking cows for over 70 years, says his business has been struggling since milk prices fell dramatically in October 2025.
The price per litre for milk has fallen from 48p in September to just 33p, while the cost of production at Mr Warnock’s farm stands at 42p per litre.
“The cows still need feeding, bedding, watering, and milking, and staff still need paying,” Warnock said. “We’re very limited in reducing our costs, so to survive, we’ll have to extend our overdraft over the next six months.”
Mr Warnock, who sits on the National Farmers' Union South East regional board, explained that oversupply of milk has been the driving factor behind collapsing prices and called it a global issue.
“Overproduction has been seen not just in the UK, but across Europe, America, and New Zealand. Despite last year’s drought in the UK, milk production increased as farmers fed their cows additional concentrates, and we’ve continued to see high outputs this winter,” he said.
Mr Warnock highlighted the decline in dairy farming across the UK, citing staggering reductions in numbers over the past few decades.
"In 1995, there were 36,000 dairy farms in the UK. Now there’s just 7,000, with around one farmer leaving the industry every day. Margins are tight, and it’s forcing many farms out of business," he noted. "With food security already at risk, this is dangerous territory."
Mr Warnock voiced frustrations about the unpredictable nature of dairy farming:
“There’s simply too much volatility. We’re in an industry where you make 25-year loans for investments, but you only find out month by month what you’ll be paid for the product,” he said.
He suggested solutions such as reintroducing quotas to level out supply and stabilise the market.
As the situation endures, Mr Warnock predicts further casualties among farming businesses and urged action to address oversupply and support dairy farmers.
“As populations rise, demand for food will grow, yet farming in the UK is in a precarious position,” he added. “It’s survival of the fittest, but the impact this has on families who've been farming for generations is devastating.”