This publication reviews recent activities by Dairy UK that are of immediate interest to dairy farmers.

Dairy UK publication for farmers will in future appear on our website every two months. If you would like a copy emailed to you when its published, please send us an email to: vbarchild@dairyuk.org

Dairy UK has been lobbying the Regional Development Agencies over their plans to implement those components of the Rural Development Programme that sit outside agri-environment schemes. Dairy UK has been arguing that expenditure should be focused on nutrient management and RDAs should examine the potential for facilitating the development centralised anaerobic digestion. During the course of the seven year programme resources should then be shifted to animal welfare.

Dairy UK participates with a range of organizations in the implementation of the Environmental Plan for Dairy Farmers. As part of Dairy UK’s contribution to the communication of the plan to the industry Dairy UK played a lead role in the organisation of a conference of farm advisors and liaison personnel which set out the environmental challenges facing the sector. We shall shortly embark on a communications campaign to disabuse consumers of the view that by reducing dairy consumption they will help the environment and to demonstrate the positive activities being undertaken by the industry.

Dairy UK has communicated the industry’s position to the media on a variety of issues and has in particular explained the industry’s market dynamics and the impact recent developments are having on milk prices.

Dairy UK helped to co-ordinate the industry’s response to the FMD outbreak and liaised between Dairy UK members and processors. Dairy UK will take a lead role in communicating the industry’s experience to ensure that the appropriate lessons are learnt by Defra. Issues we are considering include should there be regionalisation, why should dairy exports be banned at all and does the industry support vaccination.

In conjunction with the Dairy Council, Dairy has submitted a list of proposed health claims to the FSA for registration under the European Regulation on nutrition and health claims. This will assist the industry in the future marketing of dairy products by providing a list of health claims that are endorsed by government authorities which can be used to exploit the rapidly growing demand for foods that address health concerns.

Dairy UK lobbied the European Commission, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), and the School Food Trust to get restrictions on the marketing of flavoured milk to schools lifted. Dairy UK lobbied the FSA to get the restrictions on the advertising of whole milk lifted. Dairy UK is continued to lobby Ofcom to get the restrictions on the advertising of cheese to children lifted.

Dairy UK is chairing the Defra Task Force drawing up the Road Map for the dairy sector which will map out opportunities for improvements in the industry’s environmental performance. Dairy UK’s objective is to ensure that the efficiencies already achieved are recognised, the industry is acknowledged as environmentally responsible and any targets are attainable.

As part of the Dairy UK’s remit of educating opinion formers about the industry Dairy UK prepared a publication called the White Paper which gives a comprehensive oversight into the structure of the industry, its commercial context and Dairy UK’s policy position on a range of regulatory issues facing the sector. The publication was circulated to over 400 stakeholders, policy makers and opinion formers. Copies of the White Paper are available on www.dairyuk.org.

On the day before the Dairy Event, Dairy UK will be holding the industry’s premier conference: ‘Dairy – The Next Five Years’. The conference features:

• Jack Wilson, President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers
• Lillie Li Ekhard, Marketing Director for Arla Food Ingredients Amba
• Mark Allen, CEO Dairy Crest
• Werner Buck, Director Corporate Food Safety & Dairy Affairs for Freisland Foods
• Peter Kendall, NFU President
• Peter Humphreys, CEO First Milk
• Tim Bennett, Chair of the new Dairy Sector Levy Body
• David Curry, Chairman of Dairy UK

Dairy farmers can get details of how to attend at www.dairyuk.org.

We have responded to the Department of Transport consultation on plans to require fuel suppliers to incorporate 5% renewable fuels into their product stating that the proposal would create a distortion in the price of animal feedstuffs which would adversely affect the economics of milk production in the UK.

Dairy UK is liaising closely with the European Dairy Association in the development of and communication of the indsutry’s position on the WTO negotiation. Dairy UK staff chair the EDA working groups responsible for this area.

Dairy UK is developing and communicating the industry’s policy on the future of the quota regime. Dairy UK supports the abolition of quotas but with appropriate transition measures and the examination of marketing management instruments to be retained to address price volatility.