The NFU’s chief dairy adviser, Robert Newbery, is urging UK dairy farmers to take stock of their working practices to help secure a brighter future created by a strategy called Leading The Way. Published last December, it outlines a clear path for clearing the dairy trade deficit by 2025.
He said this would only be possible if the entire dairy industry worked together. This would be achieved by focusing on improving exports and reducing the reliance on imports.
Efficiency, too, would have to be significantly improved to help grow their businesses. He said investment in technology could help but there also needed to be a focus on implementing the best possible practices for successful farming. He said “the question should be: How can I be the best that I can?”
Partners such as milk buyers should be carefully scrutinized to ensure they understand export markets and have the right brands needed to succeed.
Dr Duncan Pullar, Director of DairyCo, also suggested dairy farmers should be as competitive as possible, evaluating costs and margins to determine whether practices were successful.