DairyCo

Introducing Stewart Jamieson – your regional DairyCo board member

Published 12 August 08

Introducing Stewart Jamieson - your regional DairyCo board member

Stewart Jamieson, a dairy farmer from Dumfriesshire, is one of eight farmers from England, Scotland and Wales on the new DairyCo board (which replaced the Milk Development Council).

The board meets 10 times each year to discuss the various issues facing dairy farmers and to decide on strategy.  Farmer board members have been selected to represent each region to ensure DairyCo has a regional presence and farmers have a regional representative to contact on any issues relating to dairy farming.  Stewart is one of two members representing Scotland.

Stewart says: "I became a member of the DairyCo board primarily because I wanted to make sure there was a good mix of farmers on the board to provide a 'hands-on' approach to the allocation of levy funds.  Also, as I am an organic dairy farmer, I felt it was important to make sure this sector of the industry was well represented.

"We have been fully organic for five years, milking 220 pedigree Holstein cows, calving all year round and averaging 8400 litres at 0.27kg/l.  Red clover is the major component of our silage mixes and we also grow winter Triticale and spring peas for whole crop silage.  White clover features in our grazing mixtures.

"With each farmer board member having a particular area of interest we are all learning a lot from each other as well as sharing a wealth of knowledge which is enabling us to debate key issues when deciding DairyCo priorities.

"DairyCo's dairy business groups, run by extension officers, are an area which really excites me, mainly because everyone involved can gain a great deal from these relatively small, participatory groups, and I would like to encourage more farmers to join.  The extension officers are happy to help set up new business groups if there is not one available in a particular area.

"We will be keeping close to the farming community through our regional forums so that we can address local issues which may arise.  I see these relationships playing an increasingly important role in the future."

Dairy farmers wishing to contact Stewart on any dairy farming issue can call him on 07876 738134 or email stewart@wsjamieson.com

Ends

Date 12 August 2008
For further information and photos:
N:    Vicki Hill
T:    01285 646544
E:    vicki.hill@dairyco.org.uk

Notes for Editors:

DairyCo's current focus is on improving the profitability of dairy farming by focusing on four specific areas:
•    The provision of a world-class information service
•    Helping dairy farmers increase their profits while meeting regulatory and environmental requirements - through better business management.
•    Helping promote the positive perception of dairy products and dairy farming with the general public
•    The development of DairyCo towards a self-sustaining model.

DairyCo is funded entirely by milk producers, via a statutory levy on all milk sold off-farm, at the rate of 0.06p per litre.  This provides an annual income of around £7m.

DairyCo co-funds the industry's nutritional and issues management resource - The Dairy Council - with the processors' trade body Dairy UK.

DairyCo Limited was set up in April 2008 following a fundamental review of agricultural levy boards by Defra. The five existing levy boards (including the Milk Development Council) were replaced by one statutory levy board, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Reporting in to AHDB are six sector companies - DairyCo covers the milk sector.