Dairy UK Press Release Archive: 2004

DECEMBER

Dairy UK to Present 'Definitive' Industry Costs Study to Government
posted 13th December 2004

Dairy UK, which represents and promotes the interests of the dairy industry, is to present government with a definitive study on rising costs within the industry.

The study is to be commissioned by Dairy UK ‘as a matter of urgency’ in view of the continuing debate on milk pricing.

Sir Don Curry, chairman of Dairy UK, said today:” It is vital that some clarity is brought to the fierce debate on milk prices. The fact of the matter is that processors and producers are being faced with increasing an increasing cost burden.

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The deadline for sending Dairy Energy Savings Limited (DES) your Climate Change Agreement (CCA) data for the second target period (1 October 2003 to 30 September 2004) has now passed. DES is still receiving data, however, priority will be given to data that has previously been submitted before the deadline.

Of the sites that have submitted data, 66% have passed their second milestone target. Sites that have passed the target with a significant surplus of CO2 allowances are being invited to join the dairy sector group verification scheme that will be carried out over the next few weeks. The verification scheme will enable those sites to have their data from either milestone, or both, externally verified. Once this takes place, those sites can then transfer or sell the surplus allowances on the open trading market. Sites that have missed the latest target are being encouraged to join a group CO2 allowance buying scheme in order to meet the shortfall between their performance during the 12 month target period and their second milestone target.

Your data can be emailed to vbarchild@dairyuk.org
A blank spreadsheet can be downloaded from the DES website at this link.

Dairy UK Opposes FSA “Traffic Lights”
posted 30th November 2004

The Food Standards Agency has launched a consultation on “traffic light labelling”. Dairy UK is concerned that any traffic light system is too simplistic and does not take into account the contribution of micronutrients to the diet. Milk, cheese and other dairy products are important sources of high quality protein and micronutrients. Dairy UK supports clear labelling but is opposed to any over simplistic system which might lead to nutritionally valuable products being labelled with a red light.

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PFA/The Grocer Competition
posted 26th November 2004

This week the first group of the five ‘corner shops’ who won the Dairy UK/PFA promotion competition with The Grocer magazine received their ‘prize’ visits from football stars.

As part of our ‘middle ground’ milk promotional activities shopkeepers were invited, via The Grocer, to complete the sentence, ‘Milk is the drink of the professional footballer because …’. The five lucky winners would be visited by a current or ex-football star.

Cardiff City footballer Peter Thorne with some young fans.

Ex-England and Liverpool player Phil Neal, attended Mrs Vera Dines’ shop in Bosley, Cheshire on Tuesday and was joined by their local milkman. Phil helped out in the shop, posed for photographs and signed autographs. Also on Tuesday, Cardiff City striker Peter Thorne visited Mrs Chris Lloyd’s shop in Radyr, Cardiff. Peter was mobbed by eager fans from the local school across the road from the shop, signed autographs and was photographed and interviewed by the Cardiff media. Players from Plymouth Argyll, QPR and Northampton Town will be visiting more winners next week.

Phil Neal visited Mrs Vera Dines’ shop

Liquid Milk Interest Group
posted 26th November 2004

On 1st December members will have the opportunity to discuss a number of significant issues facing the industry over the coming months at the Dairy UK Liquid Milk Interest Group. The meeting will take place on Wednesday 1st December, at 2.00pm at 93 Baker Street.

Significant changes to drivers’ hours legislation and industry guidance on this, changes to seatbelt legislation, new dairy hygiene regulations, the reform of the Welfare Foods Scheme and the Commission’s views on the future of prescribed packaging sizes will all be on the agenda.

All members with an interest in the liquid market, or indeed, in any of the above topics are welcome to attend. Please call Edmund Proffitt on 020 7467 2644 (eproffitt@dairyUK.org) for more details.

Dairy UK Chief to Use IDF Presidency to Seek Greater Involvement Throughout Global Dairy Sector
posted 23rd November 2004

Dairy UK chief to use IDF Presidency to seek greater involvement throughout global dairy sector

Jim Begg, Director General of Dairy UK, is to use his election as President of the International Dairy Federation to seek greater involvement of organisations throughout the dairy supply chain in the activities of the IDF in order to achieve the strategic global objectives of the dairy sector.

Speaking about his election as President at the IDF World Dairy Summit in Australia, Mr Begg said: “ We must take the big commercial players forward with us into the future – farmers, processors and also the industry’s customers. We must involve them in our work, because they are the people that we want to put our codes and standards into practice.

“Whilst this might require the IDF to review and amend its processes, it must do so in a way that does not isolate or marginalise the rest of the industry, or those organisations that provide services to the industry”, said Mr Begg. “We need a broad and not a narrow base of involvement across the industry, and its customers, in each member country”.

Mr Begg has been elected for a four-year term of office, during which he has pledged to build on the work of former Presidents Philippe Jachnik and Jerry Kosack by embracing the dynamism of the dairy industry worldwide to develop a fresh, exciting strategic direction for the IDF to work to.

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The Government White Paper entitled “Choosing Health: making healthy choices easier” is likely to have many implications for the dairy industry.

Of particular interest will be the proposed food labelling coding system, the restrictions on advertising to children, the industry-funded national campaigns and initiatives to promote positive health information and education, and the Food and Health Action Plan to be published early in 2005.

Click here to go to White Paper

Cost Pressures on Dairy Sector
posted 17th November 2004

Speaking today Sir Don Curry, Chairman of Dairy UK said: "All sectors of the dairy industry have been affected by an increased cost burden and this is a matter of some concern for Dairy UK. This makes it imperative that the industry works together to achieve efficiencies and to continue its efforts to maximise its revenue from the market place”.

Elaborating on the situation Jim Begg, Director General of Dairy UK, said that: "For example, the processing sector has been subject to a sustained increase in costs over the past year. Energy costs have risen by a minimum of 10% which at the very least will add around £5 million to industry costs on an annualised basis. Wage costs have risen by around 4%, which will add an estimated £20 million a year. Packaging costs on liquid milk alone have risen by £15million.

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OCTOBER

School Milk Week 2004
posted 18th October 2004

School Milk Week took place on 11th to 15th October. Dairy UK co-ordinated activities saw over 12,000 children receiving free samples of school milk and the industry has enjoyed extensive coverage in the national media, local press, on the radio and on television.

The week started off with positive coverage on Monday’s “Farming Today” (Radio 4) and saw coverage in the Sun newspaper, as well as the farming press, and attracted very significant local television coverage. Activities were covered by Central TV, Meridian, BBC South East, South West and East and independent stations across the country.

Events in schools included Carwyn Jones, a Welsh Assembly Minister giving out milk at a school in Cardiff along with BBC2 Wales, and football coaches from fifteen clubs providing training sessions as far afield as Coventry, Manchester, Plymouth, Liverpool and Cambridge.

The next phase of the promotion will see our Key Stage 1 Physical Education Pack distributed to 1,000 primary schools in the New Year. The activity is organised by Dairy UK on behalf of its members and the MDC, with additional funding from the EU.

Traceability
posted 15th October 2004

From 1st January 2005 traceability at all stages of the food chain becomes a legal requirement.

This applies both to foods and ingredients purchased by a food manufacturer, as well as to the foods manufactured by the manufacturer...

View full article

School Milk Week 2004
8th October 2004

The dairy industry has once again joined forces under Dairy UK to promote school milk schemes to 21,000 primary schools. This year’s campaign, part funded by the EU, runs from October, with the highlight being School Milk Week , taking place next week (11th – 15th October). The aim of the campaign is to show how easy school milk schemes are to run and to raise awareness of the EU subsidy, which allows children aged between 5 and 11 to receive up to 250ml of subsidised daily milk at school....

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Dairy UK Secures a Workable Solution to Changes in Seat Belt Law
8th October 2004

Following strong lobbying from Dairy UK, the Department for Transport (DfT) has resisted pressure to totally remove the current exemption from wearing seat belts in goods vehicles when undertaking local deliveries and collections....

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september

Venue for Dairy UK Seminar on Diffuse Water Pollution
2nd November 2004
posted 24th September 2004

The Dairy UK seminar on Diffuse Water Pollution will be held at the Institute of Physics, at 76 Portland Place, London. The seminar will be held on the morning of the 2nd November and will cover the origins of legislation governing diffuse water pollution and its impact on dairy farmers.

The venue for the seminar is only 10 minutes walking distance from Dairy UK and the nearest tube stations are Regents Park and Great Portland Street.

A United, 21st Century Voice for the Dairy Industry
posted 23rd September 2004

Dairy UK, the new, united voice of the dairy industry, was formally launched today (Thursday September 23).

For the first time ever, the interests of all sectors of the dairy industry are being represented and promoted on a UK-wide basis by a unified cross-industry body.

Download pdf version

Dairy UK Launched on Thursday 23rd September 2004
posted 23rd September 2004

Dairy UK, the new, united voice of the dairy industry, was formally launched today (Thursday, September 23).

National:

Speaking at the launch, Lord Whitty said:” Through the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, I have been working with all parts of the dairy sector to help it develop collaborative approaches to the challenges the sector as a whole faces."

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Scotland:

Sir Don Curry, inaugural chairman of Dairy UK, said: “The creation of Dairy UK is a definitive watershed for the dairy industry. The importance of our industry in the UK demands powerful and unified representation and we believe Dairy UK will fulfil that crucial role.

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Northern Ireland:

Ian Pearson MP, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland, welcomed the formation of Dairy UK.

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UKDA Open Day, 9th November 2004
posted 14th September 2004

This year's UKDA Open Day will take place on Tuesday 9th November.

As a change from recent years, the 2004 Open Day will be based outside London, and we have accepted the invitation from The Institute for Animal Health to host the event at their Compton site, near Newbury in Berkshire.

The day will start with a tour round their brand new 450 cow dairy farm facility and then, after lunch, we will have a number of presentations on topical subjects, including:

• Dairy Science and Technology Week 2005
• Farming-related issues within IDF's Programme of Work
• Topical nutrition issues

and there will also be plenty of opportunity for discussion and for questions to be asked.

We will also have a business session to update members on the work of the Executive and Technical Committees. The day gives member the chance to find out about the latest activities of the UKDA and IDF and also find out how developments in a number of areas will affect them.

The Open Days of recent years have been highly successful and have been rewarding and informative for all those that have participated. Please take the opportunity to join us in Compton for what promises to be a very interesting day.

For further information please contact Ian Wakeling, the UKDA Secretary, by phone on 0207 467 2621 or by e-mail at iwakeling@dairyUK.org

March

Dairy UK Salt Strategy Accepted
posted 13th March 2004

Dairy UK announced today that its salt strategy for cheese has been accepted by Melanie Johnson, Minister for Public Health and Sir John Krebs, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency. They have welcomed the commitment to reduce the salt content of cheese by 5% this year, and a further 5% the following year, if possible.

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february

Dairy UK Warns Food Standards Agency Over Food Labelling For Dairy Products
posted 28th February 2004

The dairy industry today (Monday) warned that the proposed ‘traffic lights’ system of food labelling could backfire and lead to consumers eating more junk food.

Dairy UK, said that under the nutrient profile system being proposed by the Foods Standards Agency, only skimmed milk and semi-skimmed will be in the ‘healthier’ or green light category. Whole milk and yoghurts would be in the ‘intermediate’ or amber category and hard cheese in the ‘less healthy’ or red light category.

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