DairyCo

Milk Roadmap sets a world-leading example

Published 23 June 10

Milk Roadmap sets a world-leading example

The dairy industry has taken another leap forward in its collective approach to tackling environmental challenges, by agreeing to extend the Milk Roadmap to cover all dairy products. 

Farming Minister Jim Paice said: "The Milk Roadmap is a world-leading example of an industry-led approach to reducing emissions.

"By extending the roadmap to other dairy products and the wider processing sector, the industry is coming together to set clear goals and take responsibility for reducing the emissions of the whole of the dairy supply chain."

Currently the Milk Roadmap, which involves the entire supply chain, details environmental targets for liquid milk, which accounts for just over half of the milk produced in the UK.  "By extending the Roadmap in this way, we are demonstrating our serious commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the dairy industry," says Tim Bennett, chairman of the Milk Roadmap.

"This will ensure that we maintain a competitive and sustainable dairy industry, and reinforce our position as world-leaders in tackling the environmental impact of dairy farming."

Ends

Date 22 June 2010

For further information:

N:        Helen Fina

T:         02476 478696

E:         helen.fina@dairyco.org.uk    
W:        www.dairyco.org.uk

Notes to editors:

The Milk Roadmap

The Milk Roadmap is an industry-wide initiative that aims to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming.  It is a 'living document' which means it is periodically reviewed by the stakeholders to make sure it stays relevant and challenging. 

The Roadmap provides a tool to help us better understand the environmental, social and economic impact of producing milk and the ways in which the negative impacts can be mitigated. It also provides a series of practical actions, for the production, processing and retailing sectors of the industry, for the short (2010), medium (2015) and long-term (2020).

The following organisations are currently involved in the Milk Roadmap:

Agriculture Industries Confederation (AIC)

ASDA

CFG

Country Land & Business Association (CLA)

DairyCo

DairyUK

Defra

IGD

Nampak Plastics

NFU

RABDF

Sainsbury's

Tenant Farmers Association (TFA)

Tesco

Wrap

DairyCo

DairyCo's aim is to promote world class knowledge to British dairy farmers so they can profit from a sustainable future.

To achieve this DairyCo aims to:

• Ensure farmers have access to world class information needed to improve competitiveness, GHG reduction and productivity
• Ensure farmers have access to direct and indirect support to help them improve their profitability through better business management
• Ensure that dairy farming is reducing its impact on the environment
• Ensure farmers understand the benefits of breeding and use the related tools

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 £6.5m.

DairyCo is a division of the statutory levy board, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).