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Despite the very challenging drop in the UK milk price, a recent European study trip painted a positive outlook for the dairy sector and its opportunities according to NFU Scotland’s Milk Committee Chair Bruce Mackie.
Bruce, accompanied by Milk Policy Manger Tracey Roan, joined their counterparts from NFU, NFU Cymru and Ulster Farmers’ Union on an intensive two-day visit to Brussels co-ordinated by the UK Union’s Brussels-based office, BAB.
The group met with officials from Copa Cogeca (the umbrella organisation for European farming unions and co-operatives), International Dairy Federation, European Dairy Association, German Farmers Union, Fonterra and Eucolait at meetings hosted by BAB.
Bruce writes: “I found the whole visit really useful, massively helped by the very busy and comprehensive schedule which BAB had laid on for us.
“Most importantly was to establish a relationship with the other Milk Committee Chairs and Policy Advisors from our fellow Unions. This is really crucial because on many issues we want to stand together, sharing the same values, while appreciating that there may be regional differences which will lend a different perspective.
“This was the first time that all four farming Union milk chairs had met in person and first on the agenda for discussion was milk contracts. There are still some major issues to resolve, and all four farming Unions are working with Defra to get this over the line.
“At a European level, we may have left the EU, but we are still in Europe which, as Alexander Anton, from the European Dairy Federation pointed out to our group, is a global dairy superpower in its own right.
“The problems which we face as an industry are not unique to Scotland, nor the UK but shared with fellow farmers in Europe and beyond. Many of these are due to global issues – climate change, war in Ukraine, challenges in the supply chain.
“And although there might be a slight frostiness in some quarters post Brexit towards the UK, it is clear that the BAB office is as relevant as ever as we continue to deal with one of our largest markets.
“It is also clear we have many friends within the European and wider international dairy industry, and we should take advantages of these alliances.”
Over the two days, Senior European Policy Adviser at BAB, Kate Adams, had arranged for NFU Scotland and fellow UK farming Union representatives to meet with the following:
- Thomas Sanchez, Senior Policy Advisor for Dairy at Copa Cogeca who are the voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU, representing over 22 million European farmers.
- Caroline Emond, Director at International Dairy Federation who gave a bright outlook on the future of the dairy sector and the role that IDF plays in protecting and promoting dairy terms, stressing that by protecting the term milk from the plant-based alternatives is protecting the consumer.
- Alexander Anton from the European Dairy Association who represent 95 per cent of all European milk processors, of which Dairy UK are members.
- Philipp Seising from the UK Mission to the EU whose work involves ensuring the UKs interest are promoted to EU institutions.
- Florian Dalstein from the German Farmers Union with German dairy farmers facing similar challenges with climate change, access to labour and policy changes.
- Mark Casey from Fonterra, the New Zealand-based multinational dairy co-operative who talked about dairy farming in New Zealand and working with farmers to meet the methane tax.
- Ksenija Simovi, Senior Advisor for Trade at Copa Cogeca.
- Jukka Likitalo, Secretary General at Eurolait.