"Lies, damned lies, and statistics"

British dairy industry becoming unsustainable, warns farmers' union

'The UK already imports about 33% of the butter, 50% of the cheese and 40% of the yoghurt it consumes.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/nov/21/british-dairy-industry-crisis

Yet a spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reported back in November 2009:

"The UK produces and exports far more milk – in raw or liquid drinking form – than it imports," said a spokesman.

If you wish to view current data, click on the following links:

UK Dairy Trade Balance

http://www.dairyco.org.uk/datum/dairy-processing--trade/imports--exports/uk-dairy-trade-balance.aspx

GB liquid milk market

http://www.dairyco.org.uk/datum/consumer/liquid-milk-market/liquid-milk-market.aspx

UK Dairy Product Production

http://www.dairyco.org.uk/datum/dairy-processing--trade/dairy-product-production/uk-dairy-product-production.aspx

UK Milk Flow diagram

http://www.dairyco.org.uk/datum/milk-supply/uk-milk-flow-diagram/uk-milk-flow-diagram.aspx

World milk production

http://www.dairyco.org.uk/datum/milk-supply/milk-production/world-milk-production.aspx
 

Lies, damned lies, and statistics

 
'... is a phrase describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments, and the tendency of people to disparage statistics that do not support their positions. It is also sometimes colloquially used to doubt statistics used to prove an opponent's point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lies,_damned_lies,_and_statistics