If our small farms are allowed to wither, the whole nation will suffer | Patrick Holden

Last week, smallholders took direct action over supermarkets' failure to pay them a fair price. Here, a dairy farmer warns that their demise will deprive the country of skills that we can ill afford to lose

Conservationists tell us about the extinction of wildlife, but there is another more insidious extinction going on right now - the disappearance of traditional dairy farmers, who have supplied our nation's milk for generations. As each demoralised farmer quietly gives up and goes out of milk - and there are nearly two a day being forced out right now - a precious and irreplaceable part of our national heritage is lost forever. The Prince of Wales is absolutely right to be highlighting the plight of small family farms in general and dairy farms in particular.

These farmers form the backbone of the rural economy. By their very existence, they play a crucial role in maintaining our countryside. They are the stewards of our landscapes, field boundaries and hedgerows, the guardians of the fertility of the soils, the pastures, biodiversity and the ancient green lanes for herding the cattle in to be milked. As each farm disappears, the skills of the stockmen are also lost and will be difficult or impossible to replace. These are all priceless elements of our natural and cultural capital.

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