UK dairy industry to join forces to manage milk supply during epidemic

The UK government has announced that it will temporarily relax elements of UK competition law to support the dairy industry through the coronavirus outbreak.

The intention is that the industry will work together to address current market challenges, avoiding waste and maintaining productive capacity to meet future demand.

With the UK’s dairy farmers producing over 40 million litres of milk every day, the legislation will allow the industry to adapt to changes in the supply chain including decreased demand from the hospitality sector and reduced collection by retailers who have had to close. 

The government has already relaxed competition rules to allow retailers, suppliers and logistic services to work together. While this has already allowed the dairy industry to redirect some of their supplies to retailers, this announcement aims to enable further collaboration between dairy farmers and producers so they can avoid their surplus milk going to waste and harming the environment.

This could include sharing labour and facilities, cooperating to temporarily reduce production or identifying where there is hidden capacity in the supply chain for processing milk into other dairy products such as cheese and butter.

Dairy UK and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) will lead the work to bring the industry together to identify spare processing capacity, how to stimulate demand and how production could be temporarily reduced.

“Our dairy industry plays a crucial role in feeding the nation and it is essential that they are able to work together at this time.

“We’ve heard loud and clear our dairy farmers’ concerns which is why we are further suspending competition rules law to allow dairy farmers to work together on some of the most pressing challenges they are facing. I am also urging farm businesses to access the loans that are available from their bank to support them in this period.

“We welcome our farmers’ heroic efforts in ensuring food supplies remain resilient and will continue to support them through this difficult time,” said Environment Secretary, George Eustice.

The government has encouraged any farm business facing difficulties to access the range of support which has been put in place to help businesses manage this challenging period. This includes the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme farming businesses can access. The government has also reportedly been speaking to the banks and have committed to support farm businesses as best they can.