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“In the past, our industry has been criticised for taking a fragmented approach to the challenges it faces. That has changed with the creation of Dairy UK.”
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"Opening the Barriers" is an on-line resource which provides advice and solutions to anyone who wishes to develop new products or working practices.
Future’s bright for dairy industry, says Dairy UK Prospects for the dairy industry are good, as trading conditions for farmers continue to improve, Dairy UK said today in response to DairyCo’s annual farmer intentions’ survey. Dairy UK Director General Jim Begg said: “Major changes in the dairy market over the past year have improved trading conditions for most dairy farmers. However, for UK milk production to fully stabilise, farmers need the confidence to undertake major investment, allowing them to achieve production efficiencies whilst meeting a growing burden of regulatory costs. “It is therefore important that the maximum value is obtained from milk. The recent rise in farm gate prices has seen milk recover the ground it has lost over the past 10 years, and sterling’s devaluation will underpin these gains. “Longer term the prospects are good. The opportunities for further gains from product innovation, supply chain co-operation and efficiency improvements are still enormous. Dairy companies are focusing on product differentiation to generate more added value. The industry is working closely with its customers to realise the opportunities in the market place. “Aside from these developments producers can be reassured that UK fresh milk and dairy products are just too important to the UK consumer for the market to be unable to adequately reward UK farmers. “A world-class industry is being built that can take on the challenges of tomorrow and forward looking farmers can be confident that there is a future for them in this industry.” For further information please contact Sam Fortescue, Communications Director at Dairy UK, on 020 7467 2630, or at sfortescue@dairyUK.org
Dairy sector commits to ambitious new environmental targets Dairy processors, farmers and retailers have today reached an
ambitious In a move that will set the mould for other sectors of the UK economy and is already attracting attention abroad, the dairy industry today published a Milk Road Map, which clearly sets out environmental targets over the next 12 years. By 2020, half of all plastic milk bottles will be recycled into new milk bottles, almost no waste will be sent to landfill by dairies and water and energy consumption will be lower in absolute terms. The recycling pledge alone will save 60,000 tonnes of virgin plastic each year, equivalent to 1.5 billion bottles. Other targets for 2020 include:
The Road Map, drawn up by the Dairy Supply Chain Forum’s
Sustainable Already a strong environmental performer, with investment in renewable Dairy UK Director General Jim Begg said: “The Milk Road
Map is a step change in the way we produce, process and consume
liquid milk. “Shoppers will be getting the same nutritious, tasty milk that they do now, but they will know that it has a lower impact on the environment than ever before. The dairy sector is leading the food industry with this initiative, and we are laying down a benchmark for other products to emulate.” The Road Map process was overseen by the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra). For further information please contact Sam Fortescue, Communications
Dairy Farming and the Evnvironment - This Year's Challenges Dairy UK Director General Jim Begg told conference goers in Sweden last week that there was a positive outlook for the global dairy industry (see link below to audio and video). His pre-recorded comments were played at the DeLaval conference in Stockholm last week (16 April) in his capacity as President of the International Dairy Federation. Begg said: “Consumers around the world like dairy products; they’re nutritious and tasty and because of that, demand is rising. Indeed, it is rising faster than producers can fulfil it.” There were some threats to growth, Begg said. “Threats include market volatility, because almost all the old price regulation systems have disappeared. The second thing I’d identify is costs: there’s been a very significant cost increase in factories and on farms.” Begg also called the large rises in the dairy commodity market seen last year a positive thing on balance. “The issue for industry now is whether we plateau at a level higher than we started, and because of positive demand, I think we’re likely to do that.”
Dairy Farming and the Environment - This Year's Challenges Stoneleigh Park, Tuesday 3rd June 2008 Dairy UK is hosting a second conference for dairy farm advisers at Stoneleigh Park on 3rd June to help the industry meet the challenges set out in the Environmental Plan for Dairy Farming. This event is essential to anyone who provides advice to dairy farmers, including: farm consultants, Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers, milk buyers that are involved in discussions with dairy farmers, environmental consultants and agronomists. To attend then please either send an e-mail to Ian Wakeling at iwakeling@dairyuk.org or complete the attached response form and return it to Dairy UK as soon as possible. This year’s conference follows on from last year’s successful inaugural event and once again will focus on the key messages that need to be communicated to dairy farmers to help them lessen their environmental impact at least cost.
Dairy UK supports JAB campaign against Bluetongue Dairy UK and its members are supporting the livestock industry’s Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB), which was launched in March under the banner ‘Don’t Hesitate, Vaccinate’. We are calling on farmers in England and Wales to ensure they vaccinate their sheep and cattle against Bluetongue to prevent the disease from spreading this summer. The midges that carry the disease from one animal to another are returning as the weather warms up for spring, which means the clock is now ticking for farmers to buy and administer the vaccine. Up to 22.5 million doses will become available from mid-May onwards and the JAB campaign aims to make sure that more than 80% of beef and sheep farmers use them. If this critical threshold is reached, then scientists say the disease will not spread widely in the UK. Other JAB supporters include the NFU, National Sheep Association, National Beef Association, Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, British Veterinary Association, Country Land and Business Association, Tenant Farmers Association, Livestock Auctioneers Association, British Meat Processors Association, Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, British Cattle Veterinary Association and the Sheep Veterinary Society.
New Dairy UK Director for Northern Ireland prioritises
envirnoment and continued industry growth Dairy UK’s new Northern Ireland Director, Dr Mike Johnston, said today he would make the high cost of environmental compliance for dairy companies one of the key priorities in his new role. Dr Johnston, who succeeds Paul Archer on 1 April, said: “Dairy UK and its members across Great Britain and Northern Ireland are strongly committed to further improvements in their environmental performance. But, as with many areas of public policy, the cost of compliance and the burden of red tape is a major concern. We need both clear guidelines and uniformity in their application across the UK. At the minute we have neither.”
Dairy UK says advertising restrictions not addressing the
real issue Restrictions on advertising ‘junk foods’ to children should not be extended because they don’t work, Dairy UK told the Westminster Forum this week. In addition, the definition of junk food needs to be re-examined, since some milk, yogurt and cheese are put into this category by the Food Standards Agency’s Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM). Dairy products are packed with high quality protein and micronutrients which are a vital part of a balanced diet. Speaking ahead of a crunch Commons vote next month on wide-ranging food advertising restrictions, Technical Director Ed Komorowski told the Forum that the existing Ofcom ban on prime-time junk food ads had done little to lower youth obesity. He called for a change in focus by the FSA.
Dairy UK Appoints Environment Manager Dairy UK has appointed a new Environment Manager to lead work on energy saving in the dairy sector. Maria Wasley has already started work and is helping to fine tune far-reaching environmental targets for dairy companies. Maria joins Dairy UK from consultancy RSK Environmental Health and Safety, where she was a Senior Engineer. She is also a member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. She has worked with industry across a broad range of environmental matters including developing climate change strategies, compliance, evaluation of emissions to air, land and water, and emissions reduction.
Healthy Increase for Healthy Start Dairy UK today welcomes the Department of Health’s decision to increase the value of the Healthy Start voucher by 7%. Following significant lobbying of the DoH, Dairy UK is delighted that the voucher value will increase from £2.80 to £3.00 from April. Healthy Start vouchers can be redeemed by beneficiaries for fresh milk and fruit and vegetables and play a vital role in the provision of child nutrition. Dairy UK’s Director General, Jim Begg, said, “We are pleased that the Department of Health has decided to increase the value of this valued, targeted benefit. Food inflation was beginning to seriously undermine its value and we have been campaigning for an increase for some time.” “Dairy UK will continue to work with the DoH to ensure that the benefit of the voucher remains at a meaningful level and that take up is maximised.” The increase in voucher value will also help the nation‘s milkmen and women who deliver fresh milk to beneficiaries on a daily basis and often provide a vital lifeline in their local communities. For further information please contact Sam Fortescue, Communications Director at Dairy UK, on 020 7467 2630, or at sfortescue@dairyUK.org
FMD update - information for MembersDairy UK has published on this web site briefing documents & press releases regarding the Foot and Mouth Outbreak. In addition, Dairy UK has collected various relevant resources from organisations including government bodies and the RSPCA. Please click here to enter Members FMD Information page
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