ENGLAND’S dairy farmers will be able to access up to £10,000 each to help them overcome the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

The new funding will help support dairy farmers, who together continue to produce more than 40 million litres of milk every day, and have seen decreased demand for their products as bars, restaurants and cafes have had to close.

The announcement this week is the latest action from the Government to support dairy farmers, building on the support already announced by the Chancellor and recent action to temporarily relax some elements of UK competition law to allow suppliers, retailers and logistics providers in the dairy industry to work more closely together on some of the challenges they are facing.

With some dairy farmers facing financial difficulties and excess milk, the new fund will provide support for those most in need. Eligible dairy farmers will be entitled to up to £10,000 each, to cover 70 per cent of their lost income during April and May to ensure they can continue to operate and sustain production capacity without impacts on animal welfare.

It also comes as the Government today backed a £1 million campaign to boost milk consumption and help producers use their surplus stock.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: Our dairy industry plays a crucial role in feeding our nation and we are doing all we can to ensure they are properly supported during this time.

We’ve already relaxed competition laws so dairy farmers can work together through the toughest months, but recognise there is more to be done. That is why today we have kick started a new campaign to boost milk consumption and have announced a further package of funding.

"We will continue to stand alongside our dairy farmers through this difficult period.

CLA President Mark Bridgeman said: “We welcome the news that dairy farmers have been offered much-needed financial support from the UK Government to help get through these challenging times.

“Many dairy farmers have been experiencing major cashflow problems for weeks due to the food service sector closing down in the midst of Covid-19.

“It’s important that we support our dairy farmers so that they are still able to produce milk for doorstep delivery, retail market and processing into butter and cheese in the future when markets return to normal.

“These grants will help overcome some of their financial losses, but the situation is urgent for many businesses so they must be straightforward to access and quick to pay out.”