Dairy

dairy Dairy supply chain must deliver farmgate milk price lift to deliver confidence ahead of costly winter

At a time when milk volumes are reducing and on farm costs rising, NFU Scotland’s Milk Committee chair milk Gary Mitchell is telling the supply chain to act now and send greater confidence back down the chain to primary producers in the form of increased farmgate milk prices.

Mr Mitchell, a dairy farmer from Stranraer, said: “Inputs and labour costs are escalating at an alarming rate of knots, so processors and retailers need to act now.

“In the past couple of weeks, we have seen milk prices make positives moves, but this is not across the board and all dairy farmers in Scotland must start seeing an increase in their milk price immediately.

“I speak to farmers on a regular basis and when I hear some farmers report that their milk price still begins with a “two” then I know these farms must be struggling to keep their heads above water, never mind run businesses which require huge amounts of investment to meet the changes that the sector is currently facing in both the short and long term.”

Failure to send positive price signals may see a further decline in dairy farmers. Only last week AHDB released their October 2021 producer figures based on the number of levy paying farmers and only 8,000 herds remain in Great Britain with 310 dairy farmers having quit in the past 12 months.

This is against the backdrop that Scotland now only has 836 herds, and this figure may further reduce when the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association release their figures in the next few weeks.

According to Mr Mitchell, calls for a price increase for all are justified. The UK average farmgate milk price for September 2021 was 31.72 pence per litre (ppl), representing a 1.4% increase on August 2021. Spot Milk is currently trading well into the 40ppl’s but, more significantly, it has been trading above 30ppl since July. Further afield, it is now five rises in the past six on the Global Dairy Trade auction, reflecting the strong demand for dairy products across the world.

Shropshire based micro-dairy Just Jerseys launches community vending machine

Just Jerseys, a Shropshire based family run micro dairy, with a focus on traditional low input farming methods has launched a community vending machine. The machine will be located in the centre of the community offering access to locally farmed fresh milk with an environmentally conscious factor.

The Micro Dairy of ten Pedigree Jersey cows will provide the community and beyond with quality fresh Jersey milk every day via a vending machine conveniently located in milk hut on Teme Street, Tenbury Wells. The girls are milked twice a day using a mobile milking machine in the field where they graze and pasteurised using a mobile micro dairy. The milk will be available in environmentally friendly glass bottles, pushing an environmentally aware approach. Customers will be able to pour their own milk into the bottles from the vending machine or even bring their own vessels. Children will also have the option for a delicious Just Jerseys Milkshake from the Mooshake bar, available at the vending machine area.

Just Jerseys will also be providing a delivery service offering raw and pasteurised milk, inspired by the community spirit during lockdown and having a focus in allowing the vulnerable and elderly to also have access to their product.