Supermarket price wars are nothing new but the latest battle over milk has taken a new twist and has even seen live cattle taken into stores.

Dairy farmers have been making a point, saying they are in ‘crisis’ because of the continuing fall in the price of milk.

Put simply, it is costing farmers more money to produce milk than the amount they receive when they sell it.

Figures from the Department of Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for June this year put the amount farmers receive at 23.66 pence per litre.

This is the lowest figure for five years and down a quarter in the past 12 months.

So it’s encouraging to hear that Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has waded into the debate and demanded urgent action.

If NFU figures are accurate, then the number of dairy farmers across the country has fallen by a half since 2001.

What’s needed is more protection for dairy farmers so that they can make a decent living and are not hindered by the supermarket price wars.

Lancashire-based retailer Booths seems to be setting a good example.

It pays a higher price for milk than its rivals and takes the view that there’s no point squeezing suppliers until they go bust.