[MMacGillivray]

In the UK there have been many comments about farmers gaining "lucrative" contracts from supermarkets; the supermarkets can (adn do) then drop the contract or change the price when the mood suits.

The experience over here is that when you see special offers on prices, it is because the supermarket has negotiated a big discount from the supplier for a guaranteed volume of products - but that keeps their margins intact. The person whose margin is squeezed is the supplier.

Farmers here would prefer to sell produce locally to small shops. However, the British public shop in supermarkets and that takes the farmers into contract negotiations with some of the most powerful businesses in the UK.

Margaret