No backwards step on supply management says Dairy UK
Speaking at the Agra Europe Conference in Brussels today, Dairy UK Policy Director Peter Dawson said: “The dairy sector doesn’t want to see a step back towards supply management by the Commission, as is currently being proposed by the European Parliament. “There is a lot that is fundamentally wrong with the Parliament’s proposal”, explained Mr […]
NFU kicks off dairy industry strategy debate
The NFU is calling on processors, retailers and farmers in the dairy industry to contribute to a ground-breaking consultation on the future of the sector. The discussion document, ‘A Strategy for the British Dairy Industry’ will be launched today during the dairy break-out session at NFU Conference. It aims to bring together the whole industry […]
FUW fears for dairy farmers and employees following cheese factory closure
The closure of a Carmarthenshire cheese factory will place downward pressure on the farmgate milk price for dairy farmers throughout one of the UK’s most prolific milk-producing areas, according to the Farmers’ Union of Wales. FUW vice president Brian Walters said closure of the Saputo factory at Aberarad, near Newcastle Emlyn, with the loss of […]
UK unions pledge action after ‘Sheep Summit’
Yesterday’s summit was called following a challenging year for producers which has seen farms hit by poor weather, a longer finishing period, rising costs, disease challenges and a marked drop in lamb prices over the past year. The summit also heard from French, Spanish and Irish farming unions who outlined many of the same concerns […]
Rapid change in supermarket approach to food buying and food pricing urgently needed
Supermarkets, and a disappointed British public, are paying the price for the short sighted, price-led, purchasing tactics mistakenly deployed by frontline retail, buyers for decades, says the National Beef Association (NBA). “They adopted a bullying culture aimed exclusively at securing as much farm food as possible, for as little cost as possible, and the result […]
Arla Foods launches direct milk supply contract
Arla Foods is leading the industry by launching what it believes is the first milk supply contract fully compliant with all aspects of the Dairy Industry Voluntary Code of Best Practice on Contractual Relationships. The new ‘Arla Direct’ contract features liquid and compositional variations, a volume bonus for larger producers, seasonality options and a 12 […]
Cost control key to higher profitability
Management of costs for feed and forage, herd replacements, labour, and power and machinery explain the majority of differences between producers. Mark Topliff, AHDB head of production economics, says: “As in 2012, Milkbench+ analysis has shown that by controlling production costs effectively, businesses significantly increase profitability. No one is saying that it is easy but […]
Record-breaking reporting by tech-savvy cattle keepers
Figures from the Rural Payments Agency’s British Cattle Movement service show the bar was raised yet again in the past month with a record-breaking proportion of movements – 95.49 per cent- reported online or on the self service phone line. Almost 90 per cent of births and 70 per cent of deaths were also reported […]
NSA urges sheep farmers to fill in lambing survey
The long awaited lamb survey is now available to capture what affect the poor weather and disease threat are having on the 2012/13 lamb crop – and NSA is urging every sheep farmer in England, Wales and Scotland to fill it online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WWHBNC5. To facilitate this, NSA is offering a service to its members […]
