Belgian farmers dump on September 16, 2009 some three million liters of milk in a field in Ciney, southern Belgium, to protest against plummeting milk prices. (John Thys/AFP/Getty Images)
According to the farmers an overproduction of milk in Europe makes the price of the milk below the production price. They have called upon the Council of Europe to control milk production so that the price can become profitable for them again.
The European Comission says that they realize the problem, but so far have stayed with its principle of a free market.
The 25 million liters sprayed out, is equivelant to the entire production of milk in Belgium for three days.
Also in Brussels, in front of the headquarters of the European Commission the farmers spilled out large tanks of milk.
“How much more milk do we need to waste before the European politicians will realize they have to change their policy?" said Erwin Schopeges, chairman of the Milk Producer Interest Group in Belgium (MIG).
In Belgium only farmers from Wallonia, the French speaking part of Belgium participated in these coordinated protests in Europe. Farmers from the Dutch speaking side of Belgium, Flanders, chose to hand their products out for free to the public.
"We support our colleges from Wallonia but we realize it is very shocking for the consumer to see so many food being spilled. Although you have to understand we are in a desperate situation," said Guy Depraetere of the General Farmers syndicate (ABS).
Altogether they handed out ten thousand liters of milk, 300 kilo's of meat, five tons of vegetables and 2,500 eggs.
