A draft strategy to boost UK dairy production was unveiled yesterday just months after a similar document was produced for Scotland.
NFU England, trade body Dairy UK and milk levy board DairyCo published its Leading the Way report at a dairy supply chain forum event staged by farming ministry Defra and chaired by farming minister George Eustice.
It aims to unite the sector from farmers to processors through to retailers and sets targets to eliminate the UK dairy trade deficit value, currently fuelled by about £1.2billion of imports a year, by 2025.
Scotland Food and Drink chief executive James Withers, in September, recommended sweeping changes in the way the dairy sector in Scotland is organised if his vision to increase production and exports is to be achieved.
He threw down the challenge to farmers, processors and industry chiefs in Scotland to target a market-driven 50% increase in production to 1.6billion litres of milk by 2025.
He made 19 other recommendations, and criticised dairy farmers for failing to adopt technical gains to improve their efficiency.
Mr Withers said the focus for decades on supplying fresh milk had stifled innovation and led to 92% of Scottish dairy produce being sold to a handful of UK customers. He urged a new export strategy and a focus on producing premium dairy produce that was wanted globally.
The English strategy focuses on increasing the UK’s share of domestic and international markets, improving international competitiveness at all levels of the supply, harnessing the diversity within the UK dairy chain to exploit market opportunities and encouraging greater trust along the supply chain.
It also encourages the sector to make dairying an attractive career for all and urges constant improvements in animal health and welfare standards.
NFU chief dairy adviser Rob Newbery said: “We know that global demand for dairy products will grow significantly in the coming years as a consequence of population growth and changing consumption patterns. The NFU believes that the British dairy industry should seize this opportunity for growth.
“We know farmers are well placed to respond to this challenge, provided the right signals come from the market place.”
DairyCo director Duncan Pullar said the target to achieve a zero UK dairy trade balance within the next 10 years was challenging, but realistic.
He added: “The whole chain must invest, innovate, become more efficient and strengthen routes to market.”