At long last, there seems to be some optimism in the dairy sector with many processors announcing milk price increases, global trade for dairy products on the up and solid financial performance being reported from processors and co-operatives.
We certainly are feeling the improved confidence at Dairy House as we officially launched Dairy-Tech 2021 at the start of this week (27 July). In just a few days we have seen several large exhibitors secure their stand space which shows the commitment they have to the dairy sector and the event.
The cancellation of most shows this year means many companies have held off launching products and services and since Dairy-Tech 2021 will be one of the first events to take place in over a year, it’s not surprising we are seeing demand for stand space already.
Uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 remains and will do for some time, which is why we are incorporating social distancing measures into the design of the event. And, with over 6,000sqm to play with at Stoneleigh Park, we are confident we can run the event safely.
There was some good news for farmers when DEFRA announced farmers will no longer have to comply with the so-called greening requirements with effect from the 2021 scheme year with the new Environmental Land Management scheme, expected to be rolled out in late 2024.
This month we launched the Gold Cup competition, which will celebrate its 100th year. We have had lots of entries submitted and are excited that next year we will have two farm walks. The first one will take place on 28 April 2021 at the 2019 winner’s farm of Robert and Bryce Sloan, Ayrshire. The second event will be later in the summer at the 2020 winner’s farm which will be announced at next year’s Dairy-Tech event.
In this month’s The Milk Digest podcast we caught up with Robert Sloan and he explained how his investment in automation helped get him through a difficult few weeks during lockdown when he had to run the farm with just himself and his dad Bryce. It is fascinating to listen to the different ways he has made his business more resilient. You can listen to it by going to rabdf.co.uk/the-milk-digest-podcast
We have also launched two virtual events- the Women in Dairy Conference on 30th September and the Entrepreneurs in Dairying course which will run from October through to December. Both have a jam-packed line up of speakers and the best bit is, they can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home.
Applications for the Entrepreneurs in Dairying course need to be in by 31 August and spaces are limited so do not delay getting your application in. You can find out details about both events on our website.
To end this e-newsletter on a high I want to highlight a video that is a must-see. A Surrey School has produced a short film thanking dairy farmers for the work they are doing and highlighting all the issues they face. The primary and secondary school students at OSG Hindhead, have clearly worked hard, and it is great to see support from the next generation for our sector. You can view the video here https://bit.ly/39APNDO
Let us hope the good news continues into August and we can end the summer on a high.
Take care and stay safe,
Matt