'Love Isle of Wight Milk' Campaign Starts

The 'I love Isle of Wight Milk' campaign got off to a flying start this weekend at the Garlic Festival in Newchurch (Saturday 18th August).

'I love Isle of Wight Milk' has brought Island dairy farmers together to promote their milk because they are currently being paid less than the cost of production by milk processors. 

It is a nationally recognised problem - but on the Isle of Wight costs are even higher due to ferry charges so the situation is even worse. 

The campaign is supported by the Island's MP Andrew Turner.

The first day of the campaign on Saturday at the world-famous Garlic Festival included free milk tastings and the first chance to sign a petition asking Island supermarkets to sell Island milk. 

Hundreds of people visited the stand to find out the facts about dairy farming on the Island and even two Star Wars Storm Troopers took a break from dealing with uprisings against the Galactic Empire to down a refreshing glass of Island milk. 

Justin Birch, chairman of the Island dairy farmers group, said: "When the Imperial Army of the Dark Side makes a special journey from the Death Star to come and taste the Wight Stuff you must be doing something right. 

"I thought about asking them to take a bottle back for Darth Vader - but our milk is full of goodness so it would probably not go down very well with him. 

"However, it was going down well with everyone else yesterday and people were amazed to hear that supermarkets are shipping milk over from the mainland whilst Island milk is being taken over there."