Tompkins, who is the third generation to run his family's 234-hectare (600-acre) farm in the Vale of York, can produce milk for about 40p a litre from his 500-strong herd of black and white Holstein cows. However, he is being paid only 29p a litre by his milk processor, leaving him operating at a loss, despite trying to run his business as efficiently as possible.
Effective from Sunday, October 12, one litre of the supermarket's own fresh milk costs 6c less, falling from €1.25 to €1.19. Also, two litres of the supermarket's fresh milk now costs 10c less, down from €2.45 to €2.35. The move comes following price drops by Lidl and Aldi in recent days, the first reductions in the cost of milk in Ireland since 2023.