UK dairy: the highs and lows and all the information you require
I had the pleasure of attending Dairy UK’s annual dinner on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Impressionist Rory Bremner gave a witty, if somewhat depressing, look at the state of politics around the world, and I was happy to meet people in the industry that keeps our country fed during hard times.
Alicia Kearns, the MP for Rutland and Melton, and Ash Amirahmadi, the MD of Arla UK and Chair of Dairy UK, both spoke on stage to express their concerns and to recognize the industry’s hard work.
Press coverage of dairy
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the dairy industry is chaired by Kearns, who also promised to be “their voice” and make sure the guests of the evening, which included representatives from other government departments as well as associations, farmers, and nutritionists, are heard and supported in parliament.
Her speech, delivered in a somewhat odd manner for a journalist, focused on how the media fails to present the facts. Thanking the industry for adopting “a constructive approach,” she said that the media reports “suggest we might not be on your side.”
However, with the recently released food strategy, we hope to have demonstrated to you that we are,” she said.
HFSS: If reformulating will result in dangerous dairy products, we won’t do it.
“We won’t follow the rumors [in the media] about fat and salt content and the need to rewrite amazing historical recipes, which should never be altered. […] Most likely, what you read in the media is not accurate to what is happening. It’s clear that she hasn’t read New Food.
Amirahmadi also mentioned the HFSS guidelines, telling the crowd that “we got this” when it came to nutrition.
He said, “Our achievements in sugar and fat formulation are evidence of that, but let me remind you that dairy products are not prepared meals with adjustable recipes. Dairy reformulation has its limitations. You won’t get the blue vein in your stilton if there is little salt. Beyond blue veins, inadequate cheese and salt content affects food safety, quality, and flavor. Although we are making traditional basic dishes, we won’t go above and beyond to reach our goal if it puts us in danger.
The UK government’s food plan, according to Kearns,
further validates the idea that “food is a national security issue” and demonstrates “how seriously government takes food.”
She went on, “96 percent of us regularly buy milk, and we all understand that cheese ought to be a necessity rather than just a staple food. It will be crucial that we keep putting up that argument repeatedly as we struggle with the cost of living. I’m very happy that we battled to ensure that dairy producers received a grant during Heather Wheeler’s [former APPG Chair] tenure. That funding was evidence of our hard work during the early weeks of the pandemic, when everything was shut off and we sat there wondering, “What are we going to do, how are we going to get through this?”
Regarding the strategy whitepaper, Amirahmadi expressed his satisfaction with the government’s acknowledgement of the food industry’s vital role in both domestic food security and global trade.
“As I read the whitepaper, I was inspired by the goal of having a robust, successful agri-food industry that produces wholesome, sustainable food. It’s something that we all desire. Our objectives are identical, and dairy may be a great asset at many strategic touch points.
However, given that several of our political colleagues are present with us tonight. It’s crucial to note, in my opinion, that as a sector, we hope that our goals for the dairy industry’s future be acknowledged. As the whitepaper is developed, we would like to learn more about the opportunities for British dairy to grow both domestically and internationally.
“And while we fully support the need for ever-higher sustainability and standards, we hope that additional legislation that is swiftly introduced and adds to our administrative burdens, undermines our profitability, and ties our farmers’ hands won’t stifle our industry.”
Most likely, regulations will change
Kearns also brought up the Agriculture Bill’s supply chain assessment, claiming that the government gave dairy top priority. She argued, “I think that sends a strong message,” before obliquely mentioning the likelihood of supply chain regulation change.
“I believe everyone will appreciate that. That’s wonderful news, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Farmers versus vegans
It wasn’t just the media that Kearns issued strong words over, but also vegan campaigners – and her concluding statements were received with a thundering cheer from the audience.
“One of my greatest concerns as Chair of the [dairy] APPG is the way in which farming and dairy is sometimes being represented in the media. I know after that Panorama episode a few months back four farms in Rutford and Melton saw vegan extremists – I will call them that because they are that – come onto our farms, release the animals and frighten the farmers. In parliament we are not going to stand for that. We are seeking to alter the Public Order Bill that’s coming up to include farming and food production sites, because I will not allow you to be intimidated when you are the ones that keep our country nourished and care for us – and we know how vital dairy is.
“We are here to fight for you in the tough times, but we’re also here to celebrate you. It’s three weeks now till we host a celebration of dairy in parliament and it’s all about us shouting about you, since that is also what our job is.”
Dairy and Covid
Overall, Amirahmadi’s address was mainly about the successes of the dairy industry, as he commended it for its strong response to the Covid pandemic.
“As our interface between industry and government, Dairy UK’s work in conjunction with other organisations, such as AHDB, has made navigating Covid far easier for us as businesses,” the man said.
“APT team, who worked with the NHS to remove over 3,200 trolleys from hospitals across the country during the pandemic, ensuring ward areas, delivery, and catering remained clear, and returning over 65,000 metal milk trolleys to their owners, worth an eye-watering 4.1 million pounds,” are among the other Dairy UK employees that many of you may not be familiar with.
However, he also spoke kindly to the MPs and department colleagues there. “We sincerely appreciate all of your support, especially the efforts of the Food Industry Resilience Forum and the exemption from competition law that you helped to obtain when it was required.”
There are yet more obstacles to overcome.
Both the disruption that Covid brought and the effects of the Russian invasion of the Ukraine caught us off guard, but Amirahmadi astutely assured the audience that the lessons learnt in the early stages of Covid “will stand up in good stead” despite the current challenges we face.
“The state of the world today has presented us with fresh, indisputable difficulties. While I don’t want to downplay such difficulties in any way, I equally want to highlight the advantages. The members of Dairy UK have high hopes for the dairy industry’s future. In our vision, the industry will be acknowledged for its contributions to both domestic and international food security, for building a more resilient food system, for delivering safe, wholesome, and reasonably priced food, for its unwavering dedication to environmental preservation, and as a collaborator in assisting the United Kingdom in becoming a global leader in the provision of food.
..However, we have this.
Using the expression “we’ve got this” repeatedly, Amirahmadi spoke positively about the dairy sector while discussing trade, food safety, and the route to Net Zero. However, he was also sincere and modest in his speech.
“When I say we’ve got this, I don’t want you to think I’m being smug or acting like the work is done or that we’re flawless,” he said. That is unquestionably untrue. For any industry, there is always more work to be done. And at Dairy UK, we take that extremely seriously.
However, I want you to understand that the dairy industry is one that is dynamic, energetic, and adaptive. By working together, we can ensure that our shared objectives of a healthy population, a healthy planet, successful dairy farming and processing, and a thriving economy are met.
I feel like adding one literary quote this evening as I’m standing in this library. The statement “the single, biggest problem with communication, is the illusion that it has happened” is, I believe, attributed to George Bernard Shaw. In order to avoid creating any false expectations, I will conclude by stating that the Dairy UK team will be calling on your door to discuss how we can collaborate to overcome the obstacles we have all faced and seize the opportunities that will enable us to create the future that we all desire.